Fire Emblem- Bonds of War
by Mataras7
Summary: After playing the Fire Emblem: Awakening Game, and being totally blown away by the story, I decided to turn it into a three-part fan fiction. The story will follow the actual dialogues very closely and will even feature the Champions of Yore DLC. The main shipping in this part will be between Chrom and Sumia, though there will be several others as well. I do not own Fire Emblem
1. On the Verge of History

On the Verge of History

"Chrom! We have to do _something_." A female voice said with an entreating tone.

"What do you propose we do?" This time it was a young man's voice.

Another young man flickered his eyes open slowly. At first things around him were blurry, but they slowly started coming into focus. The voices continued, the male one sounding very familiar somehow.

"Uh… I don't know," the girl replied. Finally everything came into focus, and the ones standing over him noticed his return to consciousness.

The girl gave a small gasp and smiled, while the man said, "I see you're awake now."

The girl that owned the voice he had heard was standing above him on the right, and she continued smiling gently at him. She was small, with blond hair that was separated into two pigtails, held back by a string of silver pieces that also fell into place to hang loosely by her cheeks, framing her pale green eyes. She was aged around fourteen at the most. "Hey there," she said warmly.

Switching his gaze, the young man looked at Chrom, taking in the muscular build and handsome features, complimented by his longish black hair that was tinged with a hint of dark blue. His eyes were also a pale shade, although they were a blue color. He was dressed in royal blue, with a bit of armor on his left arm. The man on the ground took note of a strange tattoo that looked vaguely like a horseshoe with a teardrop shape in the blank spot on Chrom's bare shoulder before he spoke again.

"There are better places to take a nap than on the ground, you know," he said with a smile. Extending his hand, Chrom continued, "Here. Take my hand."

The one on the ground accepted the strong grip and noticed a strange purple mark that looked like six eyes on his own hand. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a pair of gloves and quickly donned them.

Chrom said, "Are you alright?"

The man he had found smiled and answered, "Y-yes." He paused for a moment to make sure that his speech was not stilted before continuing to say, "Thank you, Chrom."

"Ah, then you know who I am?" Chrom replied.

He was somewhat surprised when the man he had found scratched his shaggy blond hair and squinted his brown eyes in confusion before saying, "No, actually, I…" He paused, trying to gather his thoughts, but they all felt muggy somehow. "It's strange…" he muttered finally. "Your name, it just… Came to me," he concluded weakly.

Chrom frowned with a low, "Hmm… How curious." Then he spoke up and said, "Tell me, what's your name? What brings you here?"

The one he was questioning said, "My name is…" Then he faltered. Under Chrom's curious gaze, he tried again. "It's… Hmm?"

But he could not remember. He grabbed at his head in frustration. Chrom noticed his strife and asked, "You don't remember your own name?"

The man shook his head and said, "I'm not sure if…" He paused, confused again. "I'm sorry," he said. Looking around, he finally found a question that was bothering him. "But where am I, exactly?"

Chrom's female companion gasped and exclaimed, "Hey, I've heard of this! It's called amnesia!"

_That makes sense,_ their confused companion thought to himself. But not everyone was in agreement. "It's called a load of pegasus dung," said another voice, this one slightly deeper than Chrom's.

The three young people turned to see a man in his early twenties dressed in full blue-and-white horse riding armor. He was tall with brown hair and matching brown eyes that spoke of his mistrust for the stranger. He continued to speak despite their scrutiny by saying, "We're to believe you remember milord's name, but not your own?"

The stranger protested by sputtering, "B-but it's the truth!"

Chrom looked at the armored man in the eye and said, "What if it _is_ true, Frederick? We can't just leave him here, alone and confused." He could sense his companion wavering and added, "What kind of Shepherds would we be then?"

The bigger man replied quickly to say, "Just the same milord, I must emphasize caution. 'Twould not do to let a wolf into our flock."

Chrom paused to consider his old friend's words. After a moment, he decided, "Right then- we'll take him back to town and sort this out there."

The man in question decided to speak up then. "Wait just one moment," he protested. "Do I have a say in this?"

Chrom was quick to calm him down, though. "Peace friend," he said with a smile. "I promise we'll hear all you have to say back in town. Now come."

The tone was warm, but the last words were meant as a command, and nothing less. With a sigh, the blond stranger accepted his fate and began walking with his captors towards a town that they indicated a couple of miles away.

When they were about halfway there, the man sighed again and said to no one in particular, "What will you do with me?" A frightening thought occurred to him, and he stopped in his tracks as he blurted out, "Am I to be your prisoner?"

His fears were dispelled as he heard Chrom's gentle laugh. "You'll be free to go once we establish you're no enemy of Ylisse," he reassured his amnesiac companion.

The man's interest was suddenly piqued at the name, which brought a frown to Frederick's face. "Is that where we are?" the blond man asked. "Ylisse?"

Frederick wasted no time in expressing his disbelief. "You've never heard of the halidom? Ha!" Before Chrom could interrupt him, as he knew he would, Frederick continued by saying, "Someone pay this actor. He plays quite the fool! The furrowed brow is especially convincing…" The last part was added as an afterthought, but none of them paid it any heed.

Chrom rolled his eyes and said in a tone that left their absent-minded companion no doubt that this was normal behavior for the armored man, "Frederick, please." Turning back to their still-confused wanderer, Chrom said, "This land is known as the Halidom of Ylisse. Our ruler, Emmeryn, is called the Exalt."

After a brief pause the dark-haired man came to a decision. "I suppose proper introductions are in order," he said. "My name is Chrom- but then, you already knew that." Gesturing to the blond girl beside him, he continued, "The delicate one here is my little sister, Lissa."

All of the men present could not hide their grins when Lissa stomped her foot and protested, "I am NOT delicate!" Turning to their purple-and-gold clad companion, she muttered, "Ignore my brother, please. He can be a bit thick sometimes."

Then her face brightened and she said, "But you're lucky the Shepherds found you. Brigands would've been a rude awakening!"

Now the stranger looked very confused. He eyed Frederick in particular with a doubtful eye and said, "Shepherds? You tend sheep?" After a pause, he added for emphasis, "In full armor?"

Chrom, now understanding the puzzled look, chuckled briefly and said, "It's a dangerous job. Just ask Frederick the Wary over there."

He jerked his thumb to indicate the hard-eyed man, who promptly responded with a mock bow and the words, "A title I shall wear with pride. Gods forbid one of us keeps an appropriate level of caution." Turning slightly to look the stranger in the eye, his expression softened ever so slightly as he said, "I have every wish to trust you stranger, but my station mandates otherwise."

_What station?_ The blond man wondered. _And since when do Shepherds care about a stranger napping on the roadside, or walk around armed for a battle at a moment's notice?_

However, to his credit, the stranger did not voice his doubts, but replied smoothly, "I understand sir. I would do no less myself. My name is Robin."

After a brief moment of quiet, the full impact of what he had just said hit him like a tempest. He had remembered his name! Instead of leaping up and down like an excited schoolboy, however, he simply said, "I just remembered that. How odd." With a shrug he added, "I suppose that's one mystery solved."

Chrom's interest in Robin was redoubled at this bit of information. "Robin? Is that foreign?" After a moment, he realized that they had been talking in the middle of the path for some minutes, and that they had business up ahead. "Ah well, we can discuss it later," he said. "We're almost to town. Once we-"

"Chrom look!" Lissa shouted as she pointed to the distance. "The town!" The group turned quickly to see several plumes of smoke rising from the buildings in the town.

Chrom's eyes widened and then turned hard with anger. "Damn it!" he snapped. "The town is ablaze! Those blasted brigands, no doubt…" His fingers tightened around the hilt of his sword as he shouted, "Frederick, Lissa! Quickly!"

Lissa prepared to join her brother, but Frederick had a question. "Milord!" he said. "What about him?" he pointed at Robin, much to the latter's surprise.

Chrom hesitated only for a second. "Unless he's on fire as well, it can wait!"

"Of course," was all Frederick could think to say, "Aptly put milord."

"Let's go already!" Lissa urged. Then the three of them took off, leaving Robin by himself.

None of them heard him say, "But what about- Hmm…" He suddenly realized that this could be his chance to get away from any unnecessary questioning. The thought of avoiding Frederick was very appealing at this point, especially since he seemed to hold some kind of animosity towards him. And yet…

It just felt wrong to leave behind the man that had found him in a field and given him a chance, despite his strange background. At the least, Robin decided, he should try to repay his debt to Chrom before he decided whether or not to leave for good. Besides, Chrom seemed genuinely interested in helping him. Maybe more pieces of his past could be uncovered if he stuck around.

He was not even done forming the last thought when he began running after his rescuers.

Robin was just in time to dash into the alleyway where Chrom and the others were waiting to spring on the robbers. Robin noticed that as he got closer, Chrom was wielding a blade of the finest make, while Frederick was mounting an armored horse with a powerful-looking lance. Lastly, Lissa was gripping a healer's staff, hard. None of those items seemed to the kind of equipment that a shepherd would carry. _Very suspicious._

The girl seemed the most impatient to get going, for she said, "Chrom! We have to stop them!"

Her older brother silenced her with a hand motion and said, "Don't worry- after today, these bandits won't be bothering anyone ever again."

It was here that Robin spoke. "Wait!" The three companions turned with surprise to see Robin wielding a sword that he had found in the street. It had been dropped by one of the brigands slain by one of the resisting townsfolk, although Robin knew that the poor soul had not lived long to celebrate his victory.

Chrom was the first to speak, though he kept glancing at the main street to see the brigands getting closer. "Robin! You followed us! Why?"

The blond man hesitated with his answer before he could put what he was feeling into words. "I… I'm not certain myself. But I'm armed, and I know my way around a fight, if you'll have me."

Chrom thought it over for half a second before he answered, "Of course- strength in numbers. Just stay close!"

Frederick added, "Remember Robin, we face practiced thieves and murderers. They will grant us no quarter. It's kill or be killed."

With that, he pulled Lissa onto his horse and charged out into the street, surprising the criminals that were convinced that they had already killed or driven off everyone in this part of town. He stabbed one of them and quickly withdrew his lance, which knocked his skewered opponent to the dust. The other two shouted abuse at him, which distracted them long enough for Chrom to emerge with Robin. Both men swung their blades, and neither of the remaining two thieves lived long enough to know who had cut them down.

Chrom was ready to charge to the next area, but Robin stopped him. "Wait," he said. "We need a plan of attack so we don't all get ourselves killed when we rush around the corner."

The other man thought about it briefly before saying, "Fair enough." With that, Robin waved Lissa and Frederick over while Chrom used his sword to draw a rough sketch of the town.

Everyone was surprised when Robin's first question was, "Does this town have a marketplace?" When Chrom answered 'yes', Robin added it in his sketch with input from Frederick and then elaborated on his thinking by saying, "Then my gut says that's where they'll rendezvous. Not only will there be stands to rob, you can see any possible defenders coming in from almost every direction, once you've cleared out the people."

Frederick cut in at this point. "But they can't block off every direction, either."

Robin nodded in acknowledgement before he continued to speak. "Granted. That's why I propose that we distract them with one team at the eastern point, so that at least some of them will be easy targets for the others that will attack from the north point, close to where we are now." Chrom looked approvingly at Robin, and with a hint of surprise. _What kind of man was Robin before he lost his memory?_ He wondered.

But Frederick had another interruption. "I take it you had someone in mind to distract them?"

Robin hesitated and weighed his options before saying, "I could do it." He stood up at dusted off his jacket, and was surprised to feel what felt like a book in his inner pocket.

"Not alone, you won't," Chrom was saying as he pulled the item out. "We need someone who can- wait is that a tome? You know magic?" Robin squinted his eyes as he peered at the runes in the pages of the yellow book.

A little distractedly, he answered, "I… Believe so? I suppose I should check."

Chrom was slightly startled by this statement. "You believe so? I was going to go with you, but perhaps I'll just keep a few paces behind you for the time being."

Robin hurried to reassure him by closing the book and saying, "No, I can control it, I'm sure." After a moment of reconsideration, he opened the book again and said, "Now, how did this work again? Ah, yes…"

After another moment of awkward silence, Chrom tried to get Robin's attention, whose brows were heavily furrowed. "Still with us Robin?"

Still somewhat distractedly, Robin answered, "Hmm… It's strange. For some reason, I can 'feel' things on the battlefield."

"Feel things?" Chrom said. "Like what?"

"The enemy's strength, their weaponry, the flow of battle…" While the others sat in stunned silence, he added somewhat absentmindedly, "I must have studied this somewhere."

So," Chrom said slowly, "You're saying you can size up the enemy at a glance?"

Robin nodded firmly, his eyes still glued to the tome. "Yes, it would seem so. And perhaps more if I apply myself…"

They were all startled to hear Frederick say, "I believe that I should provide milord's distraction."

Robin shut the book again, this time a little more forcefully and said, "I can handle myself, sir."

The mounted warrior shook his head to show that Robin's skills were not his concern. "I have no doubt you can," he said. "But we need somebody that can move fairly quickly, as well as take a number of hits while waiting for reinforcements."

Chrom nodded his agreement. "I was actually thinking the same thing. But we still can't have you go alone…" he paused to think. It was Lissa that provided the solution, surprisingly.

"I'll go with him," she said.

Everyone looked at her with shock, before Chrom said, "Absolutely not. You don't have any weapons." Lissa bristled at her brother's hard tone, but she kept her voice level and forced herself to relax. "Well, that's why I have Frederick," she finally said with a smile.

But Chrom was still not convinced. "What am I going to tell Maribelle if you get killed?" he challenged. Lissa's face bore a flicker of doubt at the name, but then she straightened in the saddle.

"I'm already up here, so I might as well," she said after a moment.

Robin stepped forward before any more bickering could erupt. "Enough! People are dying the streets as we speak." Looking at Chrom, he said, "If Lissa goes with Frederick, they'll be okay. Her staff will be of greater use while he's fending off their attacks. If he gets hurt, she can just heal him."

Lissa grinned at that. She added, "We'll see who's delicate! I may not be able to attack like you, big brother, but when you get injured? _I'll _be the one stitching your bones back together, care of my trusty staff!" Even Frederick had to smile at the girl then. Twisting in the saddle again to face the planner, she said, "You just tell me where to go Robin!"

Everyone looked to Chrom for confirmation. Sensing that he was wavering, Frederick added, "Milord, I don't like the idea of you being out of my sight with Robin, but I do agree, the townsfolk need assistance- quickly. And the plan does make sense."

Chrom finally nodded his agreement. As different as they might be, Chrom still respected Frederick's opinion more than almost anyone else's. If he thought that this was a good idea, then he was willing to try it. "I'll go with Robin to back you two up once you've caused enough commotion." Turning to his sister, he said, "Be safe."

"Don't do anything stupid yourself," she said with a wink.

Chrom chuckled, and then Frederick said, "She'll be safe milord. You have my word."

"Thank you, old friend," he replied. "Now go! Let's kill these dogs!"

With that, Frederick set his spurs to his horse and bolted away. "Come on," Robin said as Chrom watched them go. "We need to be in position soon." Chrom nodded and the two men took off, heading for a nearby alley. Once they were in position, Robin dropped the sword and readied the thunder tome for use.

Chrom saw from his position that there were about a dozen raiders, putting the odds at three to one. "Well you were right about where they'd gather," he said to Robin. When he didn't receive a response, he looked back at his new all and was surprised to see him shaking slightly from nerves. Clasping his shoulder encouragingly, he said, "Are you alright Robin?" When Chrom received an unsteady nod, he added, "Just don't rush into danger."

Robin took a deep breath to steady himself, and then looked Chrom in the eye and said, "I'm fine Chrom. Don't worry."

Looking over to see that the market place was still relatively quiet except for the occasional sound of a broken item being tossed aside, Chrom smiled and said, "You've lent us your strength, and that makes you a friend. Having an ally by my side gives me courage."

Robin grinned and said, "Thank you, but I think there's more to it than that." Chrom assumed a puzzled air. "What do you mean?" he asked. "Well there _is _a tactical advantage to fighting side-by-side," Robin replied.

Chrom rolled his eyes, just as a commotion erupted from the east end of the marketplace. "And that's our cue!" said Chrom. He felt a strong grip on his shoulder that kept him from charging ahead.

He turned to see Robin with a grin on his face and the words, "What was that about rushing into danger?"

Seeing the concern in Chrom's eyes, he continued, "Lissa will be fine. Frederick, too, if that means anything to you." He added the last part with a hint of dry humor. "They just need to draw the enemy in, and that's when we come in to save them."

There was a shrill cry of fright, and Chrom's head snapped around to try and see his sister. "I think they've done their job," Robin said, all joking now aside. "Let's go." But Chrom was already moving, his sword drawn and in a ready position. Robin dashed after him, readying the energies within his book should they be needed.

Up ahead, Frederick swung his lance at any cutthroat that came too close. All of them were hurling curses and threats at the mounted warrior. Three of their dead comrades seemed to be the source of this abuse. Robin noticed a spot in his armor where there was splattered blood, but no hole that corresponded.

The young fighter surmised that Lissa must have used her staff to heal Frederick's flesh and repair his armor from a sword or spear thrust. However, he decided to ask about it later. Right now, he needed to worry about keeping Chrom alive.

The swordsman slashed at one of the robber's back, but in doing so, he failed to notice another one turn and raise his axe for a surprise attack. But before anybody in the fray noticed the purple-robed tactician, he had cast a thunder spell that struck the would-be killer and knocked him into another one of his friends. He wasn't dead, but he wouldn't be able to fight for now either.

The brigands turned to see their newest attacker, whose glove still crackled with traces of electricity. He was young, no older than sixteen, and his shaggy blond hair was parted so that they could see his brown eyes clearly. He didn't seem to be that heavily built, but there was a look about him that made some of them hesitate.

Even more unsettling, the yellow book that he carried was open, and from it, glowing words seemed to leap from the page and surround him. The more experienced amongst them realized that he was preparing another thunder attack.

Then common sense reasserted itself. This was nothing but a boy with his father's tools, so those that were not busy with Chrom and Frederick hefted their weapons and stalked towards their new enemy.

"Well, that's the end of that," remarked Robin as soon as the battle was over.

Lissa agreed with a smile and said, "Lucky for the town, we were close by." Turning to Robin, she added with enthusiasm, "But holy wow, Robin! You were incredible! Swords, sorcery, _and_ tactics! Is there anything you can't do?"

Chrom laughed in agreement with his sister. "You're no helpless victim- that much is for sure." Frederick nodded as well, and for a moment, Robin hoped that the warrior had finally accepted him. His next words smashed that hope to pieces.

"Perhaps you might even be capable of an explanation for how you came here?" he said.

Robin held back his tongue with an effort. Instead of saying anything that might further antagonize the tall warrior, he simply said, "I understand your skepticism, Sir Frederick. And I cannot explain why only some knowledge has returned to me." Adding an entreating tone to his voice, Robin said, "But please, believe me. I have shared all that I know."

After a moment of uncomfortable silence, Chrom made his final decision. "You fought to save Ylissean lives," he said. "My heart says that's enough."

But Frederick was not yet ready to back down. Taking his friend aside for a private conversation, he said in a hushed voice, "And your mind, milord? Will you not heed its counsel as well?"

Chrom was unmoved by his friend's protests, however. "Frederick, the Shepherds could use someone with Robin's talents," he said in an equally lowered tone. "We've brigands and unruly neighbors, all looking to bloody our soil. Would you really have us lose such an able tactician?" Holding up a hand to forestall any more protests that his friend would muster, he concluded, "Besides, I believe his story, as odd as it might be."

Turning back to the other two that were waiting patiently, he said, "So how about it? Will you join us Robin?"

The blond tactician smiled and said, "I would be honored."

A few hours later, when the people had begun to filter back in, Frederick finally voiced something that had been disturbing him. Turning to Chrom he said, "Did you notice milord? The brigands spoke with a Plegian accent."

Robin, predictably, was confused by the name. "Plegian?" he asked. "What's that?"

"Plegia is Ylisse's westerly neighbor," Chrom answered. "They send small bands into our territory, hoping to instigate a war."

"And it's the poor townsfolk who suffer!" Lissa interjected. "Totally innocent, and totally helpless…"

"They do have us, milady," said Frederick. "Shepherds to protect the sheep." Trying to be more encouraging, the warrior softened his tone and added, "Do not be swept up in your anger. It will cloud your judgment."

Off to the side, Robin thought quietly, _Do Shepherds typically defend anything more than their flock? I still feel like I'm missing something here…_

Lissa sighed unhappily and said, "I know, I know." Drawing herself up and forcing a smile she said, "Don't worry. I'll get used to this."

Just then, one of the village leaders came up to them. "Milord, please!" he said. "You must stay the night!" Before the rescuers could give their answer, the man added hastily, "We are simple folk of simple means, but we would gladly toast your valor with a feast!"

Frederick smiled and replied, "A most generous offer, sir, and no doubt your hospitality would be grand. But I'm afraid we must hurry back to Ylisstol."

Lissa nodded enthusiastically and added, "Dark meat only for me, medium well, and no salt in the soup. I simply-" Then she realized what Frederick had said. "Wait what?!" she nearly shouted. Turning to Frederick she added with a pleading tone, "We're not staying?! But Frederick, it's nearly dark!"

Frederick shrugged, indicating that this would bother him in no way. "When night falls, we'll camp," he said matter-of-factly. "Eat off the land, make our bed of twigs and the like." With a slightly malicious smile he added, "I believe you mentioned you would be 'getting used to this'?"

"Frederick?" Lissa said in what Robin could have sworn was a threatening tone. "Some-times I hate you."

At this point, the blond tactician decided to jump in. "You've quite the stern lieutenant there," he said.

"Yeah well, 'stern' is one word for it," Lissa agreed. "I can think of a few others!"

Chrom laughed at the three of them before saying to Robin, "Frederick only smiles when he's about to bring down the axe."

"Duly noted," Robin muttered dryly.

"Ahem." They all turned to Frederick. "You do realized I _am _still present?" he said.

Chrom grinned and said, "Oh, we realize." The others burst into laughter at the exchange, while Frederick rolled his eyes to heaven.

"Milord remains amusing as ever," he muttered. "Now then, shall we be going?"

Deciding it was time to get serious, Chrom said, "All right, all right." Turning to his newest recruit, he added, "Ready to go Robin? The capital isn't far."

When Robin affirmed that he was ready, the four companions set out on the road that would lead them to Ylisstol, and to their destinies.


	2. Unwelcome Change

Unwelcome Change

The sun had just settled beyond the horizon, and it was the time that crickets begin to chirp when Lissa decided that she could no longer keep quiet. "I told you!" she complained to Frederick. "It's getting dark already!"

Adding to her annoyance was a small gathering of nondescript flying bugs that began to buzz about the group. "Ech!" she muttered. "And now the bugs are out!" Seeing that she was receiving no sympathy from her companions, she continued by muttering, "Noisy, disgusting bugs that buzz around and crawl all over and bite you when-"

Suddenly, one of the insects in question decided to do a little exploring. This led to Lissa shouting, "Agh! Won goph in mah mouph!" She began sputtering while her friends laughed at her discomfort.

Chrom felt compelled to add, "Aw, come on now, Lissa. Hardship builds character. Want to help me gather firewood?"

Lissa finally succeeded in getting rid of her little visitor, although perhaps in a different manner than she would have liked. "I think I swallowed it," she muttered sourly. Turning to her big brother, she scowled and replied pithily, "I'll pass on finding firewood, thanks. I think I built _quite_ enough character for one day!"

Robin decided that this would be a good time to interrupt the exchange. "We should probably think about food," he said in an effort to change the subject. "I don't know about you, but I'm starving."

Frederick nodded his agreement, somewhat to Robin's surprise. "Yes," he said. "I think a little hunting and gathering is in order." Looking around at the group for volunteers he said, "Now, who wants to clear a campsite?"

Later, once all of the chores were complete, and dinner was prepared, the group sat around a campfire. "Mmm…" Chrom grinned. "It's been too long since I last had bear meat. Delicious!" Looking over at his sister, he frowned. Her food was untouched.

"What's wrong Lissa?" he asked her. "Dig in."

Lissa groaned and said, "Pass!" When Chrom looked confused, she added, "Gods, couldn't you spear us a normal animal that people eat for once? I mean, come on! Who eats bear?! You're meddling with the food chain."

Looking across the fire, she said, "Right Robin?" When he didn't respond, she tried again. "Uh, Robin?" Then, to her slight disgust, she realized that Robin was devouring the meal with great enthusiasm.

Sighing, the girl muttered, "I suppose a person would eat just about anything after not eating for days…"

Chrom chuckled and said, "Just eat it, Lissa. Meat is meat."

Lissa glared at the young man and snapped, "Since when does meat taste like old boots?!" After a brief moment of reconsideration she said, "Wait, I take that back- boots smell better!"

Now Frederick cut in. "Every experience makes us stronger milady," he said. "Even those we don't enjoy."

Lissa glowered at him, making a point of looking at his equally uneaten piece of meat. "Really?" she said. "Then why don't I see _you_ eating, Frederick?"

Unprepared for Lissa's keen observation, Frederick hesitated over his words. "Me?" he said. "Oh, well… I'm not hungry. I… I had a large lunch!" Deciding that was the story that he would commit to, he finished, "Yes, quite."

"Yeah right, Frederick!" came the reply.

Later that night, when all was quiet, save for the dying embers of the fire, and Chrom was on watch, he felt something in his mind. Some sixth sense began to warn him that something in the usual patterns of the world was being disrupted. Then he thought that he heard a faint noise.

"Huh?" he murmured before he could stop himself. Looking around, he slowly arose. But his actions did not go unnoticed. Lissa also arose with a yawn. Turning to Chrom, she quickly noticed the concerned look in his eyes.

"What is it, Big Brother?" she mumbled thickly.

"Forgive me," Chrom said quietly, not wanting to wake the other two. "I didn't mean to wake you, but…" He hesitated, unsure of how to put his feelings into words.

Finally, he said, "Something is amiss…" Looking around, he sought for the source of his unease, but nothing save for the nighttime forest greeted his eyes.

Lissa rolled her eyes and said, "Define 'something'."

Chrom sighed and decided to give up trying to explain his uncertainty. "I'm not sure," he replied. "I think I'll have a look around."

Lissa considered this for a moment, then shook her head in disagreement. "Not alone you won't," she said firmly. "I'm coming too."

Chrom smiled and said, "Heh. Thanks, Lissa."

And so they set out to explore the perimeter, but nothing unusual. Still… Something was nagging at Chrom's mind, but he still couldn't put into words. Then, to his utter surprise, it was Lissa that put his feelings into words.

"It sure is dark," she said quietly. Chrom looked up at the sky, and realized that from the position of the stars, it should be near dawn. Yet things remained in shadow. Then Lissa continued, "And quiet… Where did the birds go?"

That was it, Chrom realized. Normally at this time, birds would begin chirping to signal that the morning had arrived. Yet there was no hint of their song anywhere at all. "Something is wrong here…" Chrom said, his unease mounting even further.

Then an explosion shattered the night, and the ground itself began to rumble underneath them. "Chrom!" Lissa shrieked. Chrom was equally shocked. "Gods, what-" he began. But then another tremor nearly knocked him flat. When he had recovered, he shouted, "What is this madness?!" Looking over at his sister, he realized that she was about to fall. Darting forward, he gathered her in his arms and shouted to be heard above the racket, "Lissa, stay close!"

Then he saw something that changed his mind. Trees that had been growing for nearly a century were rapidly collapsing in a rough line- a line that was headed their way.

Not even looking at her, Chrom said, "Lissa, run."

"Huh?" was the reply.

Finally looking at her with steel in his eyes, he shouted, "I mean it, GO!" He gave her a slight shove to get her going. Deciding not to question him further, Lissa used the shove to get her momentum going.

Giving the collapsing forest one last look, Chrom took off after his sister, catching up easily. Just as he did, the ground behind him collapsed, and liquid fire shot out of it. Even as the two siblings raced away from the deadly explosion, flaming rocks shot up from the depths of the earth. They were the size of boulders, and they moved at incredible speeds.

Chrom knew that if he and his sister did not move out of the fire's path quickly, they would be destroyed. Waving at Lissa, he shouted, "Hey! This way!" The two of them leaped out over the edge of an earth ramp, and none too soon. Right after they did, one of the flaming rocks landed right where they had been, not two seconds ago.

After what seemed like an eternity of running, Chrom signaled for a stop to catch their breath. Lissa nearly collapsed from fear almost as much as the physical exertion. Chrom was too busy to notice however. Instead, he was gazing at the sky near where he had run from. The fire rocks were still being launched from the bowels of the earth, and the forest itself was ablaze. _Who incurred this punishment from the gods?_ He wondered in despair. Never had he seen such a powerful display of the earth's wrath.

Only Lissa's voice snapped out of his thoughts as he recognized her tone that carried intense fear. "Chrom?" she said, and he turned to see that she was pointing in the opposite direction of the sky he had been watching. "What is that?"

'That' was a huge gathering of white energy that quickly took on the semblance of a pale blue eye, with crystals for eyelashes. Chrom's eyes widened as he saw ancient marking surrounding the 'eye'. They looked familiar somehow, but he couldn't quite place in what way.

Then, from the projection fell two vague shapes. Chrom thought that they looked like people, but something was off. The two beings hit the ground several dozen yards away and rose slowly. Something about the way they moved seemed eerie to Chrom.

A chill crept down his spine when they straightened up and looked at him with glowing red eyes. He drew Falchion deliberately and said without turning around, "Lissa? You'd better stay back." Giving an unseen nod, she retreated several paces away from her brother.

Even as he spoke, the two creatures staggered clumsily a bit into the forest's firelight, and Chrom got a better look at them. They were wearing dark armor in addition to being equipped with some wicked-looking battleaxes. But what really drew his attention was their skin that stretched over their powerful muscles- a sickly tan that looked like it had been ripped off of their bodies and then hastily sewn back on.

One of the two advanced a little further than his companion and then let out an unearthly shout that expelled a dark mist from its lungs right before charging at the young warrior with surprising speed. Leaping high, it swung its axe at Chrom, who ducked the blow and stepped forward to slash right through the monster's body.

The blow was a clean cut that went all the way through, so it was only natural that Chrom reacted with horror when the creature growled and turned its neck nearly all the way around to look at him. Moving again with startling swiftness, the monster swung its weapon as though was unharmed, which Chrom barely blocked in time.

For a moment, the two fighters pitted their raw strength against one another, but they were evenly matched. So Chrom gave way, and stepped out of the way of his opponent. Meeting no real resistance, the creature stumbled forward and the human fighter elbowed it in the back, hard. When his enemy fell to the ground, Chrom leapt high and called upon Falchion's holy power.

When he came down, the blade glowed light blue and he stabbed the creature in the back as it attempted to rise. The thing gave out a gasp, then it dissolved into the same kind of vapor that it had been exhaling moments before.

Before Chrom could celebrate his victory, however, he heard Lissa's shrill cry of fright. To his horror, he turned to see that the other monster had taken advantage of his skirmish to move in on the defenseless girl, who now held up her staff in a futile attempt to shield herself from the coming blow.

"Lissa!" he shouted as he rushed forward, already knowing that he would be too late to save his little sister.

Then, a miracle unfolded before the two siblings. Neither of them saw the beginning, but they would never forget the way that it ended. Out of the same 'eye' that the two monsters came from, a young warrior dressed in blue charged forth. They slipped in between Lissa and her attacker, even as the creature swung the instrument of Lissa's doom. Lissa closed her eyes and waited for the end.

When the girl heard the _clang!_ of metal-on-metal, her first thought was that Chrom had miraculously made it in time. But unseen by her, Chrom had been stopped in his tracks by the amazing sight of the caped fighter dashing forward out of nowhere with his blade already drawn.

Looking up cautiously, Lissa gasped when she saw the masked face of a young warrior, who grunted under the weight of the axe. She realized that he had drawn his blade across his back, and had taken the stroke of the axe on the flat of the sword.

Sweating hard, the warrior looked over at Chrom, who was standing a few paces away, still in shock from what was happening. "Help!" he shouted with a grunt.

This seemed to snap Chrom out of his daze, for he shook himself and said, "Right!" Charging forward, he once again summoned his sword's power.

As he let out his war cry, the monster turned to look at the man, taking the pressure off of its axe, and allowing the other warrior to ready themselves. As soon as Chrom stepped in to attack, the mysterious swordsman swung his blade, even as Lissa's brother did the same. They hit on opposite sides, and their swords passed through, within a hair's breadth of each other.

As they did, Chrom could have sworn that the stranger's blade glowed the same hue as his own. But then the creature's 'death fog' obscured his vision, and when it had cleared, the rescuer's blade was sheathed.

"You make quite an entrance," he said a little breathlessly. "What's your name?" The young stranger regarded him silently from behind his mask and said nothing.

Robin charged into the clearing with Frederick to see Chrom and Lissa sweating and looking shaken, but otherwise unharmed. "Milord! Milady!" Frederick shouted loud enough to wake the dead. "Are you hurt?"

Lissa turned with immense relief to see her other companions not far away. "Frederick!" she cried. "Robin!" The group gathered together, only to have Robin point in horror at what could only be more of the corpse-like figures emerging from the trees.

"Are such horrific creatures commonplace in these lands?" he gasped.

Chrom shook his head immediately and sharply. "They're not from Ylisse," he said darkly. "I promise you that."

Looking his masters over, Frederick said, "No one is injured then?" When they shook their heads negatively, he sighed and said, "Thank the gods."

Lissa grinned despite their circumstances and said, "Thank the masked man who saved me! If it wasn't for him, I'd be…" Looking around, she and Chrom realized that the masked swordsman was nowhere to be seen. "Hey, where did he go?" Lissa asked no one in particular.

Seeing that the dark creatures were getting closer, Frederick said in a tone that brooked no argument, "We can worry about him later. _After_ we put these… things… to the blade." Looking around to make sure they all got the message, he added an extra word of warning; "Eyes open now. We know nothing about this enemy."

Chrom nodded his agreement and said, "Right."

As the group moved into position with Chrom and Robin at the front, with Frederick to protect Lissa in the rear, Robin noticed some stone formations that didn't look natural. Ever the tactician, he wondered aloud, "Hmm? Are those…"

Seeing his interest, Frederick finished for him, "Abandoned forts, yes. Sometimes they have runes inside them that heal minor wounds upon the touch of a hand."

Robin nodded, his mind already moving quickly to integrate them into a battle strategy. "Then we should take shelter in them whenever possible," he said. "No doubt they will offer distinct advantages in battle."

Then there was no more time for talking. One of the creatures rushed forward, only to be met by Chrom, who engaged in a short series of swift blows. When he finally landed a solid hit, he heard Robin shout, "Chrom, DUCK!" Not even bothering to question the command from his new tactician, the swordsman threw himself to the side and turned the fall into a roll.

He felt something fly overhead, and when he got to his feet again, he could see Robin standing a few paces away with his thunder tome in hand, and a bit of black mist in front of him. The tactician grinned and wiped the sweat off of his forehead as he said, "I couldn't get in close. I don't have a scabbard for a sword, so I can't be bothered to carry one all the time."

Chrom nodded and replied, "I'll have that problem rectified once we get to Ylisstol. For now, let's just focus on not getting killed, shall we?" Robin nodded his agreement, and the two men turned to see Lissa and Frederick atop his faithful steed.

The knight looked worried, so Robin asked him what was troubling him. "I had sent word for another one of ours to meet up with us here at dawn," he said. "I do hope that Sully did not perish in the fires, or worse, at the hands of those _things_."

Chrom stiffened at the name of one of his best Shepherds. "Gods forbid that," he said in agreement.

Lissa, who was only half-listening to the conversation, pointed at the tree line with her staff. "Guys, more of those monsters are coming!" The other three turned to see that she was right, that there was another group headed their way. And these ones seemed to be directed by a larger one that bore some traces of intelligence. _Gods, how many of these things are there?_ Chrom wondered in despair.

Nonetheless, he and the others prepared for battle, for that is what one does when your doom is upon you.

Not so far away, another Shepherd was wondering what to do about the present circumstances. "Captain Chrom!" she shouted. "Wait! I'm coming!" She had heard the sounds of a scuffle not too far away, but with all the smoke, it was hard to tell exactly where the sounds were coming from. When she received no reply, she growled, "Agh, I knew I shouldn'ta left 'em."

Noticing that there were more of the deathly creatures moving towards her from the trees, her eyes hardened. She had already had an encounter with these things only moments before, and she really didn't want to have to bother with them right now. "All right you ash-faced freaks!" she shouted. "Which one of ya wants to try my lance on for size first?"

As the creatures came staggering closer, she grinned sardonically and added, "I know just the spot for it: shoved right up your-" "Hold milady!" said a voice with a thick Valmese accent.

Sully turned around with a brief, "Muh?" What she saw surprised her. It was a nobleman with long silver-blue hair carrying a bow that was nocked, but lowered. "Life may be long, attraction is fleeting," he said loudly. "Would you leave me in your sweet dust?"

Well the warrior found herself too flustered to speak, the man continued to say, "Leave war to the warriors, dear bird! A beauty such as you need wage only love."

Finally, the woman managed to sputter, "What in the-? The hell are you?!"

The man smiled and bowed deeply with the words, "Ha! Is the lady intrigued?" As he straightened, he said, "Of course you are- it is only natural. I am myth and legend! I am he who strides across history's greatest stage!

"The man who puts the 'arch' in 'archer'! My name, dear lady, is Vi-"

The woman decided she had wasted enough time at this point and said, "Sorry Ruffles- no time for this. Onward!" With that, she urged her horse towards the still-staggering monsters.

The archer was caught off guard by her brusque manners, and tried to rush his conclusion. "Virion!" he shouted. Seeing that she was intent on leaving him for the battle, Virion jogged to catch up to her and said, "Er, my name is Virion." Seeing that she was still ignoring him, he looked at the deathly creatures and queried, "W-wait! Where are you going? Pray at least, tell me your name!"

The woman sighed and replied, "I'm Sully. And I'm a Shepherd."

Virion smiled and said, "Yes, yes. 'Sully'! How divine! A starkly beautiful name, as befits its owner, truly." With a mischievous smile on his lips, Virion added, "Will you marry me, my dearest Sully?"

The female Shepherd stopped her horse and said, "Will I what now?" Turning to Virion, she smiled and said, "Oh wait, I get it… This is a joke." Virion suddenly had a very uncomfortable pit forming in his stomach. "And when I put my boot through your face," Sully continued, "That's the punch line."

Virion tried to recover by saying, "I realize my manly figure and noble bearing can be overwhelming. "Tis common! So please, don't feel pressured to answer right a-"

Sully cut him off by yelling, "How's THIS for an answer?!" Then, true to her word, she kicked the archer in the face.

"OOF!" Virion cried as he went sprawling in the ash and dirt. "G-goodness, but those shapely legs can kick, can't they," he muttered to himself with surprise. Looking up, he could see Sully nearly ready to charge at the monsters that seemed a bit more balanced now.

"P-please, milady," he called after her. Getting up, he said, "Allow me to accompany you, at least! Mine is a cold, empty world without you. I shall be your most willing servant, and you, in turn, will give my life purpose!"

Sully sighed heavily and said, "Fine… Anything to get you to shut up." Looking back at Virion, she was startled to notice his wounded gaze upon her. "What?" she snapped. "Stop looking at me like that!"

With that, she kicked with her spurs and her steed shot forward. The monsters had gained their balance, and a few of them charged at her. She swung and stabbed with her lance, wounding them, but they refused to die.

Sully was by no means a soft warrior. Many men had challenged her in tournaments before, and most of them had spent time in the infirmary, regretting their decision. So it was only natural that she felt intense surprise when this new threat did not die after a normal man would have let his soul depart.

She was just about to be overwhelmed when a small rain of arrows struck her wounded opponents. This time, most of them dissolved into a dark mist, and Sully looked back to see Virion grinning with his bow ready for another shot. "As I said," he announced. "I am the archest of archers." Suddenly, one of the monsters burst from the trees, close to the Valmese man.

He barely dodged an axe blow as he shouted, "Though I prefer not to get up close with my enemies! 'Tis not fitting for a baron!" Suddenly, a bolt of thunder magic hit the monster out of nowhere, and the thing died.

While Sully and Virion finished up the straggling beasts, she wondered where that magic had come from. It didn't take too long to find out. The two of them heard an unfamiliar voice call out, "Over here Chrom!"

Both of their heads snapped up at that name. Sully looked in the direction that she thought the voice had come from, hoping that her leader was there, too. But for several moments, all they heard was silence.

Then, four figures burst through the trees, two of them on horseback. "Chrom!" Sully called out. The leader looked at the short-haired rider and breathed a huge sigh of relief. "Sully!" he said. "Thank the gods you're all right! I was worried that you might have been caught up in the fires, or worse, by one of those monstrosities."

Sully shook her head emphatically. "Almost, but not quite. I did have some help, though." She pointed her lance at Virion, who bowed deeply from the waist. Before he could go on and on again, however, Sully introduced him by saying, "He's some kinda baron from Valm, and he's pretty handy with a bow. Saved my hide a couple a' different times tonight."

Virion gave her a hurt look and said, "My, that was dull. You should try it with a bit of embellishment! Such as-" "Thank you for helping one of my Shepherds,"

Chrom said. "Would you like to accompany us back to Ylisstol?"

Caught unawares by Chrom's blunt question, Virion said, "Wait, what? Ylisstol? The capital of Ylisse? Um, yes of course! It would be my honor to accompany such a fine-"

"Can it, Ruffles," said Sully. Finally deflated, Virion said nothing.

They all turned at the sound of quiet footsteps with weapons ready. As it turned out, there was no need- the masked warrior had returned.

"It seems all the creatures are vanquished," said Frederick. "This young man took care of the others." The warrior said nothing in response. Lissa slid down from the horse and said hesitantly, "Um, I never got to thank you… For before. So… Thank you. You were very brave."

Chrom nodded and said, "Thank you. You saved my sister's life." When the warrior continued to remain silent, Chrom tried again. "My name is Chrom. May I ask yours?"

This finally got the warrior to speak. When they did, it was with the soft voice of a child. "You may call me Marth," they said.

This got the majority of the group to react with shock. "Marth?' Chrom said. "After the heroic king of old?" When there was no answer again, Chrom said, "You certainly fight like a hero. Where did you learn your way with a sword?"

Marth shook his head and said, "No. I'm not here to talk about me. This world teeters at the brink of a horrible calamity. What you saw tonight was but a prelude. You have been warned." The last four words were delivered at nearly a whisper.

Then Marth turned and walked away, vanishing into the smoke and ash. "Huh?" Lissa called out after him. "What's teetering where now?" When there was no answer, she started after him while shouting, "Hey, wait!"

Robin put a hand on her shoulder and shook his head once. Looking at Chrom he said, "Not much for conversation, is he?" Chrom said nothing.

It was Frederick who finally broke the silence by saying, "It appears his skills lie elsewhere. I wager we'll hear his name again. But for now I'm more concerned about the capital. We should make haste."

The others all agreed, and they set out again, hoping and praying that they would not find the capital in ruins.

As it turned out, their fears were groundless. When they reached the city, Robin was stunned by the noise alone. "So this is Ylisstol, capital of Ylisse," he mused aloud. "I've never seen so many people!"

Frederick took no note of what Robin said, but looked around with immense relief. "It appears the capital was spared the chaos we encountered, thank the gods," he sighed. "I see no evidence of the great quake. It must've been limited to the forest."

Lissa shared in his feelings by saying, "Well, that's a relief."

Earlier on the trip, Chrom had decided to make Virion an honorary Shepherd, and had asked Sully to take him somewhere that Robin was as yet unaware of, which bothered him not at all. If it was important, Chrom would tell him. As such, Sully and Virion had departed from their group nearly half an hour before.

Suddenly, Robin's attention was caught by an old man's shout. "Look!" the citizen cried. "The Exalt has come to see us!"

The new tactician looked down the street to see people making way for a blond woman escorted by half-a-dozen guards. She was dressed in fine robes of green and white, and she wore a simple crown on her head. Her face was beaming grace and gentility, and Robin immediately feared for one so noble.

"The Exalt is your ruler, yes?" he said to Frederick.

"Yes," the warrior replied. "Her name is Lady Emmeryn." "Is it safe for her to walk among commoners like this?" Robin asked.

Frederick smiled and said, "The Exalt is a symbol of peace- Ylisse's most prized quality."

Seeing that Robin did not fully understand, he continued by saying, "Long ago, at the dawn of our age, the fell dragon tried to destroy the world. But the first exalt joined forces with the divine dragon and laid the beast low. Exalt Emmeryn reminds us all of the peace we fought for then."

Chrom nodded his agreement and added, "With Plegia poking at our borders, the people need her. She's a calming presence, when some might otherwise call for war." Something about Chrom's tone nagged at Robin, but he let it pass.

"Then the Ylissean people are indeed lucky to have her," Robin said.

Lissa giggled and added, "She's also the best big sister anyone could ask for!" Robin chuckled in agreement. "Yes, I imagine she-" Then his own words hit him. "Wait, what?" he nearly shouted in surprise. "She's your-" Then something else occurred to him. "But wouldn't that make you and Chrom…"

Frederick finished the sentence for him with a laugh, as Robin was trying to be sure he was not making things up in his head. "The prince and princess of the realm, yes." Then with a mix of humor and suspicion, he added, "You remember Chrom's name and not this?"

Robin looked between the three of them several times before sputtering, "You said you were 'Shepherds'!"

Chrom laughed good-naturedly at his tactician's confusion. "And so we are," he said. "In a manner of speaking. We just a have a _lot _of sheep."

"C-Chrom," Robin began. Then he sank to one knee and said, "I mean, Prince Chrom! Sire! Forgive my dreadful manners!"

The crown prince of Ylisse chuckled again and reached down to hoist Robin to his feet. "Just Chrom is fine," he said with a smile. "I've never been much for formalities." Robin nodded, but Chrom noticed that his tactician's eyes held new respect for his companions.

Looking at the three of them again, Robin murmured, "The prince and princess…" Looking at Frederick, who he now realized was the two sibling's personal bodyguard, he grinned and said, "I guess that explains why Frederick tolerates all the teasing, eh?"

"Indeed," said the knight in a heartfelt tone. "Oh, the sacrifices I make for the good of the realm…"

Chrom looked down the street again and nudged Robin with his elbow. "It looks like Emm is returning to the palace," he said. "Would you like to meet her?" When Robin agreed with some surprise at the offer, the group began walking again.

Once they had reached the palace, it was easy for Robin to see how well-liked the royal family was. Chrom and Lissa were greeted warmly and informally by many of the guards and staff, as was Frederick. With Robin, they were still friendly, but they were all curious about this new stranger, so they were slightly guarded as well.

When they reached the throne room, Robin was surprised to see that the Exalt was waiting for them halfway across the large room, instead of expecting them to cross all the way to the throne itself. She was accompanied by a single female knight. _Although,_ Robin reasoned, _she is greeting her family, not an ambassador, so things might well be a little informal, even here._

Exalt Emmeryn smiled warmly at her family and their guardian as she welcomed them all. Robin hung back a bit, unsure of how to conduct himself. Now that he was up closer, Robin could see that Emmeryn could be no older than twenty-six or so, and that the same strange mark on her forehead was the same as the one Chrom bore on his shoulder. And when Emmeryn spoke, it was a soft and well-modulated voice that could have come from an angel.

"Chrom!" she said. "Lissa! Welcome home." Turning to the blue-armored knight, she added, "Oh, and good day, Frederick. How fared you all?"

Chrom cocked his head, not completely sure how to explain things to his sister. Finally he said, "Well- we shouldn't have any bandit problems for a while."

To his surprise, Emmeryn simply nodded and said, "Wonderful. And our people?"

Now reassured that his sister would not be cross with his actions, Chrom replied, "Safe as they can be, Emm. But we still need to watch the borders." After one final hesitation, Chrom said, "The brigands crossed over from Plegia."

The knight by Emmeryn's side groaned briefly before saying, "Forgive me, milord. My pegasus knights should have intercepted them." Chrom was quick to shake his head and reply, "No, Phila. Your duty was here, with the Exalt."

Lissa giggled and said, "Besides, we had plenty of help!" Turning, she gestured at Robin, who flushed with embarrassment.

Emmeryn waited until Robin had stepped forward slightly to stand beside Chrom until she said, "Ah, you speak of your new companion here?"

Chrom nodded and introduced the tactician by saying, "This is Robin. He fought bravely with us against the brigands. I've decided to make him a Shepherd."

Emmeryn smiled warmly at Robin in a manner that reminded him very much of her brother while she said, "It sounds as though Ylisse owes you a debt of gratitude, Robin."

Robin was still a little flustered at recent events, so he sputtered a bit in saying, "N-not at all, milady!" In his head, Robin threw insults he wouldn't use on a dog for using a word as egalitarian as 'milady' with the Exalt of Ylisse!

Of course, ever the protector of his people, Frederick chose that moment to say, "Forgive me, Your Grace, but I must speak. Robin claims to have lost his memory, but it is only that: a claim. We cannot rule out that he is a brigand himself or even a Plegian spy."

"Frederick!" Chrom rounded on him angrily, but Emmeryn placed a pale hand on her brother's shoulder.

And she said, "Yet you allowed him into the castle, Chrom. Does this man have your trust?"

"Yes," Chrom said firmly as he looked his older sister in the eye. "He risked his life for our people. That's good enough for me."

Emmeryn nodded and stepped back to look at Robin with warm green eyes that looked a lot like Lissa's. "Well then, Robin," she said. "It seems you've earned Chrom's faith, and as such you have mine as well."

Robin could only say, "Milady." Again, he insulted himself in silence behind a mask of calm.

Turning back to her siblings' protector, she said, "But thank you, Frederick, for your prudence as always. Chrom and Lissa are blessed to have such a guardian. I do hope they remember to mention that from time to time." The last words were directed at her brother and sister with a raised eyebrow and a slightly amused tone.

Frederick gave a small bow and said, "They occasionally express something akin to gratitude, Your Grace." Turning to his fellow knight, he said, "Phila, I assume you've heard about the deathly creatures we encountered, yes?"

"Yes, milord," said the captain of the Pegasus Knights. "They've been sighted all across Ylisse." The four travelers exchanged worried glances. They had all barely survived one night of battle with those demons. Now they were being sighted all across the country?

As if sensing their thoughts, Emmeryn said to her brother, "Chrom, we are about to hold council. I was hoping you could join us."

"Of course," was the reply.

Sensing that things were coming to a close, Lissa turned to her brother's tactician and said, "I think that's our cue Robin! C'mon, there's a place I want to show you." With that, the princess led her new friend away.


	3. Shepherds

Shepherds

Robin simply could not get over the fact that his friends were the highest-born nobles in the land. Not that he minded, but they were so _different_ from what he would expect of royalty. He'd had the idea that a queen would be more aloof, and that her siblings would be of the same attitude.

But Chrom and Lissa could not be further from that image. Even as the girl guiding him chattered happily, Robin reflected on how both of them took direct part in the battles that affected their people, and risking their lives while doing so. It was patriotism of the highest order, and Robin found himself extremely gratified to have become Chrom's new tactician.

The last thought stopped him cold in his tracks. _Wait,_ he thought._ If Chrom is the Crown Prince, then that makes me…_ He realized that he was now potentially in charge of directing an entire army if Ylisse ever went to war. It was a daunting prospect.

Lissa suddenly noticed that Robin had stopped and turned to face him. Seeing the look on his face, she asked him, "Hey, Robin? Why the long face? We're almost there."

The blond tactician looked her in the eye and replied, "If I'm your new Tactician, does that mean that I'm in charge of the whole army of Ylisse?"

Lissa giggled, now understanding Robin's worries. "No silly," she admonished, which resulted in Robin's face showing surprise and relief. Lissa grinned and said, "But you will be planning for an… Unofficial part of the military." Robin frowned at those words.

"What do you mean by that?" he asked.

"You'll be in charge of the Shepherds," Lissa said as she gestured with her staff to indicate that they should get moving again. "The only person you'll answer to is Chrom, and maybe Frederick- I don't really know, ask my brother about it." But Robin's curiosity was still not satisfied.

"What exactly do the Shepherds do?" he asked. Lissa answered without looking back, "We patrol the country, looking for any trouble outside the ordinary- like the brigands from Plegia. If someone is in trouble, then we take care of the situation."

Robin nodded, even though Lissa didn't see him. His curiosity satisfied, he said no more until Lissa finally indicated a small fortress on the outskirts of the city territory. "I wanted you to see our headquarters," the princess explained. "And you'll also be able to meet some of the people that you'll be commanding."

At the last part, she hesitated briefly, which led Robin to ask her, "What's wrong?"

Looking at her new friend she said, "Just… Be aware. Like I said, we're not an official part of the military, so some of our soldiers are a little… Colorful."

With that, she led him to the door and they walked in together. She led him past the barracks, which were currently unoccupied, as well as the mess hall and training arena. They were mostly empty, though Robin thought he saw Sully and Virion on the field.

Lissa told him that she could show him the infirmary later, but for now they would head to the barracks, where the Shepherds would sometimes relax after training. Although, it was obviously meant as a place to defend from outsiders in times of attack. Once they got there, Lissa announced to him, "Here we are! The Shepherds' garrison."

Seeing his reluctance to enter, she waved him inside and added, "Go on, make yourself at home." When he finally stood by her side, Robin noticed that there were three others in the room: one, a blond muscle-bound axe man with a curious grin on his broad features, a girl dressed in light riding armor that had long brown hair that fell past her shoulders on either side of her face with a look of timidity about her, and lastly a blond lady that had the air of a noble-woman about her, though she carried a staff that looked much like Lissa's.

The last of these three rushed over to greet Lissa with the words, "Lissa, my treasure! Are you all right? I've been on pins and needles!"

Lissa greeted the young lady with a smile and said, "Oh, hey, Maribelle!"

The lady waved her arms frantically and sputtered, "Oh hey' yourself! I've sprouted fourteen grey hairs fretting over you!"

Lissa giggled at her friend's antics but replied, "Aw, you worry too much. I can handle a battle or two!" Then a shadow clouded her face as she muttered, "Although I could do without the bugs and bear barbeque."

Now the axe-wielder grinned and said, "Hey, squirt! Where's Chrom? I bet he had a rough time out there without ol' Teach and his trusty axe!"

Lissa sighed and turned to face the man. "Oh, so you're 'Teach' now, Vaike, is that it?" The girl giggled and added, "And here I thought people were just born lacking wits. It can be taught?"

Vaike laughed loudly and replied, "Ah, please. Never doubt the Vaike!" Then he paused as he thought over what Lissa had just said. "Wait, was that an insult?" he asked.

The girl off to the side decided to interrupt the exchange before things got out of hand. "Beg pardon," she said to Lissa. "But when might we see the captain?"

Maribelle turned with a sigh to face the other girl and said with a slightly exasperated air, "You won't believe this. Poor Sumia. She's simply been beside herself with concern. Her eyes were scanning the horizon all day during training- She might have earned fewer bruises fighting blindfolded!"

Lissa giggled and said, "Aw, Sumia, that's so sweet of you to worry about Chrom."

Sumia blushed and said, "Well, worry? Well, I… He's our captain and our prince- of course I'd worry!" Her response fooled no one, but they all decided to let her off the hook.

Now Robin had been watching these exchanges with a slightly bemused expression, so he was a little startled when Vaike turned to him and decided to include him in the conversation. "So, who's the stranger?"

Seeing Robin's slightly startled reaction, Lissa grinned and said, "No one's stranger than you, Vaike. But allow me to introduce Robin!" The purple-clad planner bowed slightly as his name was mentioned. Lissa continued on to say, "He just joined the Shepherds. Chrom's made him our new tactician. You should see all the tricks he's got up his sleeve!"

At this bit of information, the other three's interest in the stranger was redoubled. They had never heard of someone being made a Shepherd because of their tactical abilities- normally it was a position to be earned. Chrom had been sharing that responsibility with Frederick ever since their old tactician had decided to retire, but up until now, they had not selected a new one that met their high expectations. So the fact that Robin had so easily been given that esteemed position made him a subject of great interest to the other Shepherds.

Vaike was the first to recover from their surprise by trying to upstage the new guy. "Oh yeah?" he challenged with a twinkle in his eye. "Can he do this?" then he let out a belch that was loud enough to wake the dead from their final sleep.

Robin, to his credit, took this in stride, simply chuckled while saying, "I'm sure I have much to learn in the belching arts, 'Teach'." Turning to include the others in his next statement, he said, "In any case, it's a pleasure to make your acquaintances."

Unfortunately, the feeling was not totally mutual. Maribelle rounded on Vaike and snapped, "Ugh, Vaike! That was abhorrent! Must you baseborn oafs pollute even the air with your buffoonery?" Turning to her new commanding officer, she added, "And you, Robin! Don't encourage him! I'd hoped you were cut from finer cloth." Letting out a loud 'Hmph!', she stormed out of the garrison.

Sumia sighed but turned to Robin with the words, "Don't take it to heart, Robin. Maribelle warms to people slowly." Lissa grinned again and added, "Or burns too quickly!" She giggled briefly, but then got serious. "But yeah, just give her time."

Their conversation was suddenly interrupted by the sound of footprints. For a moment, Robin thought that Maribelle had come back with another lecture. But when they all turned to face the entrance, it was their captain entering the room.

Sumia was the first to exclaim, "Ah! Captain! You've returned!" She started walking towards him, stammering, "I was- I mean, we were so-" Then she tripped and fell flat on her face. Robin and Chrom started forward out of concern, but Sumia quickly got up and dusted herself off.

The swiftness with which she did so led Robin to guess that this was a frequent occurrence for her. Chrom asked her, "Sumia! Are you alright?" When she nodded, he asked, "Those boots of yours again?"

"No!" she exclaimed. "I mean, yes! I mean…" Then she sighed, not knowing what to say to explain her behavior.

Chrom decided not to embarrass her further, so he switched the topic. "All right, everyone listen," he announced. "In the morning, we'll be marching to Regna Ferox."

"Regna Ferox?" Robin asked. "A unified kingdom to Ylisse's north," Sumia answered. "Inhabited by barbarians, or so it's said."

Chrom nodded, but he only partially agreed. "Warriors are what they are," he said. "And we'll need them their strength to quell this new menace. Typically, the Exalt would request such aid in person." He hesitated before adding, "But given recent events… Well the people might worry should my sister suddenly leave the capital. So the task has been passed to us."

Once he saw that everyone understood, he decided that it was time to figure out whom he should take with him. "Now, this mission is strictly voluntary," he said. "So if, for any-"

Lissa cut him off by announcing, "I volunteer!"

Vaike laughed and said, "Me too! You'll be needin' ol' Teach along for such a delicate mission!"

A voice added theirs to the conversation; "I'll go as well." They all turned to see a man named Kellam in a massive suit of armor that had been a silent spectator to the briefing. "What?" he said. "I've been here the whole time!"

When they all turned back to Chrom, Sumia said timidly, "I… I, um…"

The prince looked at the girl and said, "Yes Sumia?"

Looking him in the eye, she answered, "It's just that… I'm not sure I'm quite ready for a proper mission just yet." With a note of disappointment in her voice, she added, "I'd probably just get in the way…"

Seeing her sadness, Chrom offered her a compromise. "Well, you could stay behind the main group," he said. "And if a battle is met, just watch and learn? Your choice, of course. But some lessons can only be learned on the battlefield."

The last remark seemed to sway the young woman. "W-well, if you think it wise, Captain."

Chrom smiled and said, "Just stay by me, and you'll be fine."

Which of course, led to Sumia enthusiastically saying, "Oh, yes!" Then, realizing what she had just said, she flushed beet red and stammered, "I mean- Yes sir, I'll do that!"

With issue of who was going resolved, the group decided to go eat, and then retire for the night, while Chrom and Vaike went to look for more volunteers. That night, Robin felt as though, somehow, he was at home for the first time in his life.

The next morning, they all met out on the field next to the fortress. Frederick was there as well, which surprised Robin not at all. "Is everyone ready?" Chrom asked. "We've a long march ahead." A new voice entered the picture when a young man rushed over, dressed in horseback armor, though it was styled more like Sully's than Frederick's.

"W-wait for me!" he cried.

When he arrived, Chrom said with some surprise, "Stahl?"

The young man complained, "Why am I the last to hear about this expedition to Ferox?"

"Huh? Vaike was supposed to…" Lissa immediately shot a glare at the burly axe man and snapped, "Vaike! Did you forget to tell Stahl about our mission?"

The slow-witted warrior immediately shot back, "The Vaike never forgets!" After a moment he added, "I just don't always remember, is all…"

"Ugh," Lissa groaned. "I swear you'd forget your name if you weren't constantly saying it yourself!" then another thought occurred to her. "Speaking of which, are you SURE your remembered your axe this time?"

Vaike immediately responded with heat, "Hey! That was one time!" Under Lissa's piercing glare, he recanted and said, "Okay, twice. But training sessions don't count." Lifting his weapon experimentally, he added, "Anyway, I got it right here. Teach is loaded and ready for action!" Turning to his comrade, he said with a grin, "Glad to have you along, Stahl ol' buddy."

The rider in question disagreed. "That makes one of us," he muttered. "I was in such a hurry, I had to miss breakfast! There were muffins, and cakes, and… Well, I can tell you about it while we march."

Robin decided to introduce himself at this point. "Your name is Stahl, right?"

Chrom noted the unfamiliarity between the two and apologized, "Oh, I'm sorry, Robin. This is Stahl, one of our finest." Before Robin could introduce himself, Stahl extended his hand, which Robin shook heartily. This rider seemed like a nice enough person, he thought.

"Hello Robin," the warrior said. "Miriel told me we had a new Shepherd." Seeing Robin's ever-present confusion for himself, Stahl felt compelled to add, "Er, Miriel's one of our mages. She should catch up soon."

With introductions complete, the group finally headed up north.

Later that evening, when the camp was set up and most of the group were going to bed, Robin addressed a matter to Chrom that had been bothering him for some time now. "Can I ask you something, Chrom?" he asked.

The prince grinned easily and replied, "Uh-oh. Should I be nervous?"

Robin shrugged and replied, "Um… When you found me collapsed and without memory, why did you take me in?"

Chrom looked at his tactician as though the answer were obvious enough. "Well…" he said. "Because you were collapsed and without memory?"

Robin was slightly worried by the prince's easy response. "That's it?" he asked. "Pity was your reason?"

"Isn't that enough?"

Robin frowned at his leader and said, "Hey! Did you never stop to consider that it might be some kind of trap?"

Again Chrom grinned lightly and said, "That's what I have Frederick for."

Robin felt like the prince was missing the point. "But why didn't-" he began, but Chrom cut him off.

"Robin," he said. "If I see someone hurt or in need, I'm going to help them. That's just who I am, and there's no changing it." For once, Robin could see that Chrom was thoroughly serious. Chrom added one final point. "Or would you rather I'd left you there, face down in the muck?"

The tactician finally conceded a little. "No, of course not," he said. "I'm thankful for what you did, I truly am. But it scares me all the same. Chivalry and longevity don't often go hand in hand."

The cheerful light was back in Chrom's eyes as he replied, "Ha! I wish I got a gold coin for every time I got this lecture."

Robin sighed and said, "I can only offer advice, I'm afraid. You really should be more careful in the future."

Chrom shook his head firmly as he said, "No. I'm sorry, but no. If it happened again today, I'd do the exact same thing."

"But-" Robin tried to say, but Chrom cut him off again. "Peace Robin," he said gently. "I have heard your counsel, and I know you mean well. But as I said, this is who I am. I can't change that, nor would I want to."

Robin sighed once more and replied, "I… I understand. If that is your decision, then so be it. Just do try and be more careful, Chrom. For my peace of mind, if not your own?" Chrom nodded once and said, "I will. I promise."

With that settled, the two of them went their separate ways in the camp.

At dawn the camp was awake and packing their belongings. They ate a quick breakfast, upon which a groaning sound could be heard coming from Stahl. Nobody could tell if he was making the sound because he wished for a bigger portion, or if his stomach itself was making the sounds. Either way, he refused to answer to anyone's curiosity.

After they had eaten, they put out the fires and were quickly on their way with Frederick at the front of the column, occasionally picking up rocks and tossing them aside. It seemed to Robin that their trip might turn out to be uneventful.

Unfortunately for Robin's hunch, it wasn't too long before they ran into a group of the monsters from three nights ago at a point where a bridge crossed a deep stream. "Gods," Chrom gasped. "Have the Risen spread this far?"

"Huh?" Robin said. "Risen?"

Frederick answered even as he helped Lissa into her usual spot in the saddle. "We needed a name for this new threat," he said. "So the council gave them one." Robin did have to admit, the creatures did look like some sort of living corpse.

"Everyone!" Chrom shouted. "Remember what we're up against!"

Vaike laughed aloud and said, "They'll remember ME once I drive my axe into their- Wait…" Looking around the grass he shouted, "My axe. Where's my axe?! I had it a second ago!"

Chrom sighed heavily and replied, "Vaike, this is no time for jokes."

Vaike continued his frantic search as he said, "I'm serious! It's gone, but I JUST had it! It's got to be around here somewhere…"

Chrom finally lost his patience. "Keep to the rear then!" he snapped. "The battle is nigh!"

Vaike, now cursing to himself, moved to the rear of the group, still looking about for his lost weapon. Chrom turned to Robin, and without even needing to be asked, the tactician was working on a plan.

"Riders will need to stay clear of their lances," he said to himself. Turning to Frederick, who had a higher view on things, he asked, "Do they have any archers?" When Frederick shook his head that they did not, Robin announced, "Sully, take Virion with you on the right and pick off their axe men. Stahl, stay close behind them in case any get through. Frederick, take Lissa and clear out their swordsmen. I also need you to be there in case either of them get hurt."

Turning to his leader, Robin said, "You and I will need to take out their lancers. If they catch up to our horse men, we're in trouble." Chrom nodded and gave the order. "You all heard him!" he said. "Now charge!"

The others needed no further orders. Assembling in the way that Robin had directed, they immediately went on the offensive. Vaike watched them go, jealousy piercing his heart. If only he hadn't lost his axe…

Then he heard a voice behind him that was very familiar. "Splendid!" A woman's voice called out. "It seems I have finally caught up. Now to extirpate these brutes." Vaike almost turned around, but he was captivated by the sight of Robin launching a thunder attack that Chrom ducked under so that the former could finish off the prince's opponent.

So it was that he did not hear the woman pause and examine the ground while saying, "Hmm? Is that an axe?" After bending over and picking up the object in question, she muttered sourly, "Why yes it is… Perhaps someone mislaid it? I'd not think such dereliction permissible amongst the Shepherds."

For a moment, she considered leaving the weapon where it lay, but then thought better of it. "Still," she added, "I'd be remiss to not return this implement to its rightful owner. Perhaps along with a stern word or two of disapprobation!" Then she heard a cry of surprise.

She looked up to see Vaike being attacked by an angry Risen soldier that had managed to sneak past Robin's attack pattern. And the axe man was unarmed, she saw.

She quickly put two and two together, and she rushed forward, already preparing her fire tome. Vaike ducked under an axe blow, but just barely. He knew that if this kept up, he would be cleaved in two eventually. He was just about to spring on the enemy in an attempt to wrest the axe away from it when a fire ball struck it, dead center.

Vaike turned to see Miriel tossing something very familiar to him. Without thinking into it, he caught the weapon by the shaft, and smote the monster in the chest, causing it to dissolve into dark fog.

Now that he had a second to think, he realized what he was carrying. "My axe!" he exclaimed.

"Ugh," Miriel replied. "I wondered what manner of ignoramus would mislay their weapon." Giving her companion a piercing glare, she added, "Now I know."

Vaike grinned back easily and said, "Thanks Miriel! Er, for the axe, anyway."

Miriel continued to glare at him for a moment before threatening, "Perhaps next time I'll use a spell to fasten it to your hands… permanently."

Vaike swung his weapon to make sure that it was undamaged before replying, "Yeah, well, I dunno if you got the memo from Chrom's new thinker, but people like you an' me are s'pposed to be clearin' out them swordsmen."

Miriel nodded and replied, "Much as I hate to concede to any instructions given by one such as you, I would be more loathe to sit back while the others engage in combat."

The axe-wielder shook his head a couple of times to clear it before he said, "Ya know what? I'm just gonna take that as a 'sure, let's go' answer."

"A fair deduction," Miriel responded as she prepared another fire spell.

The battle was nearing is closing point. The group had succeeded in driving the Risen back across the bridge, with Chrom, Robin, Lissa, and Frederick at the front of the battle. Now only four of their enemies remained. Among them was another leader, the one that had been dubbed the 'Risen Chief'.

It carried several smaller axes that looked lighter than the other ones that Robin had fought against, so he determined it to be a type of throwing axe. This led him to wave Miriel over to stand with him and once she was within earshot, he said, "Let the others deal with those three."

Already, the rest of the party was moving to engage the enemy, so Robin knew that the grunts barely posed a threat now. Pointing at the chief, which was moving to join the fight, Robin ordered, "Those throwing axes are going to be a serious problem for the others. None of us have long-ranged weaponry that can match that."

"An astute observation," Miriel commented.

Robin nodded and continued, "I need you to get his attention while I prepare a spell."

"What is the purpose of a redundant preparation?" Miriel asked. "It would seem that your tome has already been prepared for the duration of this engagement."

Robin shook his head. "I exhausted the energies on the page I was using, and it needs a moment to recharge."

Miriel nodded her understanding and said, "In what manner should I distract this monstrosity?"

"Set the grass on fire, or him," Robin replied hurriedly as he scanned the page with the thunder spell. "Anything to get his attention."

"Very well," she replied. Pointing her hand at the target, she cast a fire ball above his head. Sure enough, the bolt hit the monster's hand, just before it could throw its weapon, as she had known it would.

Robin allowed himself a moment to be impressed before he realized that the enemy was headed right for him. Scanning the text frantically, he finally noticed a spell that was ready to be launched. Summoning the energies mentally, he whipped his right hand forward and hit the Risen Chief straight in the face, killing it before it even hit the ground.

Off to the side, the battle continued for a moment more, but Robin was too drained to assist his companions. Even so, the battle went on for only a brief time before the last one fell, and Lissa was tending to wounds.

When it was over, Chrom sighed and leaned on his sword. Robin was afraid that the man might collapse. The prince didn't notice his concern as he said, "Finally! And good riddance!" Then another thought struck him. "But if they're appearing this far up the north road…"

Frederick nodded and finished the sentence for him. "Then no path is safe," he agreed. "We'll need to stay wary."

Nobody spoke for a long time after that.

Several hours of walking later, Robin called a halt. He had spotted something a little ways off the path, and called Chrom and Lissa over to help him check it out. When they rounded a boulder, they all stopped where they stood.

Lissa was the first one to say, "Is that what I think it is?" When no one said anything, they all moved to be a little closer.

And just like they had suspected- "It's a pegasus alright," Chrom said. The noble-looking beast was armored, as if fit for battle. Yet of its rider, they saw no sign.

"I think it's hurt," Chrom said as he moved around to check its side. Sure enough, there were several marks on the armor, and if he was right, there were bound to be heavy bruises underneath. Getting in closer, he murmured, "Let's just have a look here…"

But as soon as he got close enough to touch the creature, it reared up as if trying to fly, but was unable. It let out a shrill neigh of anger and fear, and the look in its eyes told Chrom to stay away. One of the hoofs nearly flattened him, causing him to leap back and yell, "WHOA! Down, girl! Easy there!"

Then an unexpected voice broke into the chaos. "Pardon me," Sumia said as she drew closer. The other two Shepherds turned to see that Sumia had followed them, and was now drawing closer to Chrom. Addressing him directly, she said, "Captain, one moment!"

Just before she spoke again, she tripped and fell flat on her face. "Sumia! Are you alright?" Chrom cried out. When the girl got up to dust herself off, he said, "Those boots of yours again?"

"No!" Sumia replied. "I mean, yes! I mean…" Then she sighed.

Off to the side, Robin grinned as he felt a distinct déjà vu laid out in front of him. Lissa was not quite so controlled, letting out a small giggle at the sight. Both of them were ignored by the prince and warrior-in-training.

"Well," Chrom sighed. "Come no closer. This beast is crazed!" He added the last part with some heat, remembering how the Pegasus had tried to flatten him.

Sumia smiled slightly and said, "Wait! It's okay, Captain. I can handle this." Moving closer to the animal, Sumia whispered gently, "Shhh… Easy now, girl. I won't hurt you." Much to the others' surprise, the Pegasus allowed the clumsy girl to approach it without panicking.

Off to the side, Robin asked no one in particular, "Whoa. How did she calm it so quickly?"

Lissa was excited by the unexpected turn of events, and she exclaimed, "That's incredible, Sumia!"

Even Chrom eyed the girl with new respect. "I've never seen anything like it," he said softly.

Sumia blushed from the praise and said, "Oh, it's… It's nothing. Really. I just have a way with animals, I guess."

Chrom spoke more loudly this time as he said, "I should say so!"

Sumia blushed harder and ducked her head. "You all go on ahead," she said as she knelt beside the hurt beast. "I'll dress up her wounds and catch up as soon as we're able."

Much to her surprise, Chrom offered, "We can make time to wait for you."

"Thank you, Captain," the girl said while keeping her face hidden. "But I can manage. Every moment is precious when all of Ylisse is in danger."

Chrom hesitated at that. They were still several days away from Ferox, and he didn't want to leave Sumia behind, especially with Risen prowling the land as they were. But she seemed to have her heart set on this, and he did not wish to deny her what she wanted.

"Right then," he said. "Be safe, Sumia." This time, the girl stood up and looked Chrom in the eye as she replied, "As you command, sir."


	4. Warrior Realm

Warrior Realm

The night before the group reached the border of Ferox, Chrom sat in the mess tent to talk with his old friend and guardian. Frederick opened the conversation by saying, "I've completed my patrol of the encampment, milord. All appears to be in order. I found no sign of the enemy nearby. I believe we are safe for the night."

Chrom nodded his approval and said, "Good to hear. Thank you, Frederick."

But the knight wasn't done yet. "While on my rounds," he continued, "I took it upon myself to inspect our weaponry as well. I've placed any items that showed exceptional wear outside your pavilion. Be your choice to sell or repair them, sire, I recommend swift action."

Chrom was no less than surprised to hear that. "Oh," he said a bit dumbly. "Well, you _have_ been busy. Your work ethic always impresses, Frederick. I almost feel lazy by comparison."

Frederick shook his head resolutely and replied, "Nonsense. I've done nothing more than my duty as a knight of Ylisse." Then an afterthought struck him. "Oh, and beg your pardon milord, but I noticed that you often cause a ruckus when training."

Chrom braced himself for a lecture, but instead, he heard Frederick say, "With that in mind, I've reinforced the tents near any open areas you're like to use."

The prince was nonplussed, but he managed to say, "Er, yes. I see. Sorry for the trouble."

Again, Frederick shook his head and said, "No trouble at all, milord. Happy to help. Also, with the nights growing colder, I procured blankets from a nearby village. I've readied a variety of colors so you might pick that which best suits you."

Before a very flustered Chrom could say anything, his knight added, "If I may be so bold, sire, peach would seem to best flatter your complexion." Again, before Chrom could get a word in, Frederick spoke. "But perhaps blue. Just to be safe?" Without waiting for an answer, Frederick nodded firmly and said, "Yes, that's best. Blue it is!"

This time, Chrom finally managed to get a word in. "Frederick do you never tire?" he asked with a slight laugh lurking in his throat.

"Of course not, milord," was the reply. "I am here to serve." Chrom chuckled and was about to leave when Frederick said, "Ah, and one final thing: I've taken measures to raise troop numbers and morale."

When Chrom turned around with a question in his eyes, Frederick elaborated by saying, "I had artisan create posters emblazoned with your noble image. It's milord in a bold pose- naked, save a scale in one hand, and a sword in the other. And at your feet, I scrawled our new recruiting motto: 'Chrom Wants You!' I had them pinned inside each and every tent. Surely the troops will be ready to rally behind their common leader, milord."

Chrom's face, which had gone very pale, suddenly went completely white, a fact unnoticed by Frederick. "Wait," Chrom gasped. "You did what?!" After a moment of letting it all sink in, he added, "In whose… You hung this pict… In _everyone's_ tent?!"

Frederick nodded and said, "Indeed. No need for thanks, milord. Merely doing my duty." Turning to leave, Frederick bowed and said, "And that concludes my report. Rest well, sire!"

Even as he left, Chrom said in a halting voice. "F-Frederick! Wait! We really need to… talk." As the full implications of what he had been told sunk in, he muttered to himself, "Oh, gods. I've got to tear those posters down before anyone sees them!"

The next morning, a very stony-faced Chrom addressed the Shepherds. "Today, we will reach the borders of Ferox. As I am sure you have all noticed, it is already getting colder. Be sure to dress warmly, as Ferox is covered in snow most of the year.

"Remember, we represent my sister today. So leave the talking to Robin, Lissa, and myself. Be ready to march in half an hour. Dismissed." Once they had all headed off to do so, Robin approached Chrom.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

"I'm fine," Chrom replied tightly. His manner showed that he was clearly angry, so Robin decided not to antagonize him any further. "Well," he said. "I was hoping to get your opinion on something."

"What's that?" the prince replied.

"Am I doing my job right?" Robin asked. When Chrom looked confused, Robin said, "I mean, you're the leader here. So I thought that you would be the one to evaluate my successes- or the lack of them."

Now understanding, Chrom decided to have Robin think a little. "Well," he said. "How many of our number have died because of your tactics?" "None," Robin quickly replied. Chrom nodded and asked, "So what does that say to you?"

"Hmm…" Robin said to himself. "I see your point. Very well, then. Thank you, milord." Chrom gripped Robin's shoulder as he turned to go, turning him back to face him.

"What did I say about calling me that?"

Robin grinned and replied, "Sorry, Chrom. I guess I've been around Frederick a little too much lately."

Chrom shook his head in mock despair as he said, "One Frederick is enough. I don't need two of them."

Later in the afternoon, when it was not quite dusk, the party reached the border. The snow had already been falling on them for more than an hour, and the prospect of a warm fire and someplace to rest was a welcome one, to say the least.

As usual, Lissa was the first one to voice her discomfort. "Brrr!" she shivered. "F-F-Frebberick! I'm f-f-freebing!"

The knight chuckled, and urged his horse to stand closer to the princess. "Stand beside my horse, milady. She'll shelter you from the wind."

Robin looked up at the massive gate to the even bigger building before them. Up top, he could see several armored figures patrolling the outer wall. _I'd hate to have to try and take a place like this in battle,_ he thought to himself as he shivered. "So this is the fortress?" he wondered aloud.

"Yes, the Longfort," Chrom answered. "It stretches along the border of Ylisse and Regna Ferox."

"The khans have grown quite weary of foreigners," warned Frederick. "Still, don't mistake a lack of hospitality for open hostility. This simply calls for a bit of diplomacy."

Chrom sighed and said, "Negotiation's not my strong suit, but I'll do my best." Turning around, he gave the group a reminder of what he had said that morning. "Remember, everyone: your actions here reflect back upon Ylisse."

With that, they marched closer to the gate, so that they might be clearly seen by the garrison. But Frederick's keen eyes were the first to spot trouble. "Trouble in the wind, milord," he said aside to his prince. "The Feroxi guard are mobilizing."

Chrom was clearly startled by this, for he turned to Frederick and asked a little louder than he meant to, "What? Why?!"

His knight shrugged and replied, "Who can say? But they look ready to let fly at a moment's notice. We'd best prepare for combat, just in case." Chrom and Robin both looked up and saw that indeed, the guards were readying throwing lances.

Looking back at the warriors behind him, Frederick added, "Perhaps we ought to pool our supplies, and select which Shepherds to deploy?" Looking over at Robin, who was still studying the fort, he said, "Loath as I am to trust him, Robin might offer some valuable insight in this."

Robin decided to pretend that he hadn't heard the knight.

Chrom nodded to Frederick before turning to Robin and saying, "Indeed, he _is_ our tactician, after all. So, Robin? What do you suggest?"

After taking another moment to size up the walls and the gate, he said, "Leave Stahl to guard the supplies, and if anything happens to us, to get word back to Ylisse." Looking back to make sure that the cavalier had heard, he was relieved to see Stahl nod and move to obey without complaint.

Switching his gaze, he said, "We'll split into two parties- one led by Chrom will take the stairs on the left, and I will lead the assault on the right." Chrom frowned. "What stairs?" he asked. Robin pointed out two recesses in the wall, each on a different side of the main entrance. "Those are built to let out two people at a time- or in, this time. We'd never manage to break down the main gate, so we'll have settle for those."

Chrom and Frederick nodded their agreement. It made sense. Looking back again, Robin said, "Frederick, have Lissa ride with you, and go with Chrom. I'll take Sully, Virion, Vaike, and Miriel with me."

Even as he spoke, the people selected were scrambling to make sure that they had the right equipment for the possible battle that could erupt at any moment. Looking at his waist, he double-checked to make sure that his new sword was secured firmly in his scabbard, and that his pockets still held his thunder tome, as well as the books for his new fire and wind spells.

Chrom shook his head in wonder. "You certainly do place a lot of faith in us, Robin."

The tactician shrugged and replied, "There are likely to be less people in their interception parties that those criminals we ran into a couple of weeks ago. And I didn't see that stopping you three from charging in there."

Chrom nodded again. "Fair point," he said. "Although we did have you."

Robin waved that aside and replied, "You would have figured something out." Chrom was about to respond again when a loud voice interrupted their exchange.

"Halt! Who goes there?!" Robin assumed that the voice belonged to the captain of the guard.

"Looks like they know we're here," he muttered to Chrom. "And they're none too friendly about it," Chrom said in the same tone. Then, in a louder voice, he announced, "In the name of House Ylisse, I seek an audience with the khans!" Now the captain of the guard stepped forward, allowing the group to see a blond woman with short hair. But what drew their attention more was the massive suit of armor that she wore, and the war spear she carried.

"Not another step, my bold lad!" she shouted, surprising the Shepherds. "I've lancers at the ready!"

"Hold, milady!" Frederick called out in response. "We are not your enemy! Exalt Emmeryn herself sent us to discuss matters of mutual interest."

"What?!" the captain shouted. "My only _interest_ is in keeping you out of Regna Ferox, brigand!"

Frederick's face flushed red with anger as he called back, "B-brigand? Now see here-"

The Feroxi guard cut him off by saying, "You think you are the first 'Ylisseans' to try and cross the border? I have the authority to fell such imposters where they stand."

Frederick could no longer contain himself. "How dare you!" he exploded. "You are in the presence of Prince Chrom, the Exalt's own blood!"

The guard simply scoffed, further infuriating the zealous knight. "Ha!" she spat. "Yes indeed- and I'm the queen of Valm! You do realize that impersonating royalty is a capital offence, yes?"

For a moment, no one said anything, Chrom's party too angry to speak, and the Ferox simply awaiting their orders. Finally, the woman said, "Mmm… Perhaps we should settle this the Feroxi way." Raising her voice, she addressed Chrom and challenged, "You claim to be the prince of Ylisse? Then prove it on the battlefield!"

"Rgh… Chrom growled. "Emmeryn won't like this at all." Looking up, he tried one last plea. "Please, good lady!" he called. "If you would just listen-"

He was cut off as the captain bellowed, "I've heard quite enough!" Turning to her lancers, who were already getting ready, she shouted, "Attack!"

The soldiers needed no further instructions. Aiming at the one that claimed to be the next in line to rule Ylisse, they let their spears fly, straight and true. Chrom threw up his arm in a futile attempt to block the deadly weapons.

Frederick and Robin dashed forward to shove Chrom out of the way, already knowing that it was too late. Off to the side, Lissa let out a shrill cry of fright. Chrom closed his eyes and waited for his death- only to have his arm nearly ripped out of its socket as someone with a strong grip held his arm and swung him into a saddle.

Chrom opened his eyes and was surprised to find that he was high above the ground- and the Longfort. He could see his friends backing away from the quivering lances that would have impaled him not a moment later.

He was even more surprised to realize that he was riding on a Pegasus- and that the one holding the reins was- "Sumia?" he breathed.

Keeping an eye out below, the girl replied, "Better hold on tight, Captain. Could get bumpy."

Chrom, still a little shocked at the sudden turn of events could only say, "Uh… Right."

Letting out a small giggle, Sumia turned with a smile to say, "Don't worry. You'll be fine."

Chrom gazed at her face with renewed interest. This was a side of Sumia that he had never seen before. In the saddle of the Pegasus, she was balanced and unflustered- she looked like the warrior he had hoped she could be.

They had known each other since childhood, but Chrom had never thought of her as anything more than that. Now, he realized, he had a companion-in-arms that he could rely on in any situation. The way that she had rescued him had put herself at great risk, yet she had done it without any hesitation or doubt.

Something moved in his peripheral vision. One of the guards had cast another lance, but the Pegasus was moving too fast to be hit. "Sumia!" he shouted to be heard above the rising wind as drew Falchion. As he pointed at the ground, she saw the guards taking aim again.

Understanding his meaning, she replied, "Right!" And with that, they dove into a part of the forest where the others had taken temporary refuge.

Once they were on the ground, Chrom dismounted to show everyone that he was unharmed, save for his shoulder, but a slight touch of Lissa's staff fixed that problem. Sumia grinned a little breathlessly and said, "Oh, Captain, I'm so relieved I made it in time."

Chrom returned the smile eagerly and said with obvious relief, "That goes double for me, Sumia!" Looking upon the animal she rode, he asked with a hint of surprise, "And this- is this the same ornery Pegasus that we met on the road?!"

Sumia smiled and fondled the animal's ear as she replied, "Oh, she's a sweetheart, isn't she?" Seeing the disbelief in Chrom's eyes, she added, "Once you get to know her."

Chrom smiled again and said, "Well, many thanks to you both."

Lissa giggled and said, "I think the Pegasus is blushing!"

Then a lance slammed into a tree near to them, and Frederick snapped, "And I think we had all best focus on the situation at hand!"

Robin, whom had been keeping a lookout for any intercept parties, shouted, "Chrom, they're coming!" Chrom growled, "All right. The Feroxi way it is!"

As he moved to head off to the left, Robin grabbed his arm and said, "Wait! Go with Sumia. She'd be a good addition to your party." Only hesitating for a second, Chrom nodded and got Sumia to help him back into the saddle.

That having been settled, Sumia and Frederick urged their steeds onward towards the point of attack that Robin had selected. "Gods be with you," he said as he watched them go. Then he turned back to his party, drew his sword, and gave his orders. "Miriel, stick close to Virion and help him shoot any archers that try to hit us first. Vaike, make sure that anyone that Sully hits stays down."

"And what're you gonna be doin' while ol' Teach clears those losers out?"

Robin replied, "I'll be in the front, where I can to the most damage. Also look for any keys that could get us inside the fort." He turned to go, then added one last detail. "Remember, these guys are technically our allies. So don't kill any of them if you can help it. Spilled blood will make for a bad bargaining chip after we've taken care of business."

"'Tis a risky plan," said Virion. "But it is battles such as these that make us legends. Now, onward my friends! Virion, AWAY!"

And with that, the archer charged out of the forest. "Hey!" Vaike shouted! "Wait up for Teach!"

Sully scowled and shouted, "Don't even think about taking the hard guys on! Those are MINE!" Miriel said nothing, but she adjusted her glasses before she too, ran into the fray.

Robin readied himself, but he moved quietly through the forest to get to a better point for an ambush. Once he reached a point where the fighting sounded close, he charged out to see Vaike about to get carried away with an attack. Moving quickly, the pommel of his sword crashed into the Feroxi warrior's helmet, leaving a severe dent in the metal and knocking the man out immediately. With a small groan, he collapsed.

Looking up at Vaike, he snapped, "I said not to kill anybody." Vaike had the grace to look shamefaced, but that didn't stop him from looking around for another enemy to use his axe on. Robin sighed and prepared himself for another attack.

"Phila said that Pegasi can fly far afield, but they're highly vulnerable to arrows," Sumia said to Chrom as they moved to engage the enemy. Chrom nodded, keeping in mind that he would have to move fast to take care of any archers that they might come across. Crooning to the animal now, she said, "Don't worry, girl. I'll watch out for both our sakes!"

Suddenly, Chrom told Sumia to stop. A bit confused, the girl did as she was asked. Chrom muttered to himself, "Why do I feel like I'm being watched..?"

"Um, sir?" a voice said, causing Chrom's hair to stand on end. "Sir!" the voice was louder this time. "Right here, sir!"

Chrom raised Falchion and shouted, "Who's there? Show yourself!"

Then a shape became outlined in the snow-filled wind. "I'm standing in plain sight, sir. Right he-" Then, the shape turned out to be a man in heavy armor, startling Chrom and Sumia.

"BWAAAH!" they cried out. Then, when Chrom looked more closely, he suddenly realized who it was. "Oh!" he exclaimed. "I-is that you Kellam? When did you arrive?"

Kellam looked thoroughly confused as he replied, "The same time as you. I've been with you the whole time." Seeing the nonplussed look on Chrom's face, a frown creased Kellam's brow. "Er, I _am_ still a Shepherd, right?" he asked. "It's quite the honor, after all. I'd hate to lose it. Sometimes I-"

"Of course, Kellam. Forgive me," Chrom interrupted hastily. "You're just so… quiet, I completely-"

Kellam waved it aside with a chuckle and said, "Quite alright, sir, quite all right. I've been told I'm easy to miss."

Chrom sighed with relief, even as Sumia added, "At least the Feroxi didn't find you."

Kellam shrugged a little dejectedly as he said, "I've been calling to you and waving for several minutes… I don't think they've so much as glance my way."

"You almost sound disappointed," Chrom remarked.

"Well, I just…" Kellam shook his head again and said, "I'm just glad you finally saw me! Just try to keep an eye out for me from now on?"

Chrom nodded, even as he turned to see Frederick smash into the front lines. "Catch up to us when you can!" he ordered Kellam. "Go Sumia!" The girl needed no further instructions. Throwing caution to the wind, she had her Pegasus going at top speed in order to aid Frederick and Lissa.

After a small series of brief- yet intense- skirmishes, they had the Captain of the Guard pinned against a wall, yet she showed no signs of giving up, even though most of her comrades had been knocked to the ground, and the others locked out of the fort.

Chrom slid off his place in the saddle and held Falchion in a ready position. Robin moved to stand beside him in preparation for combat. Already, his gauntlets gave off steam as the fire magic he had prepared came to life.

The Captain hefted her spear and shouted, "Let our battle sound out the truth of your words!" The two men didn't wait for her to finish. Robin cast a fire spell at the warrior, which temporarily blinded her. The next second, she felt Chrom's Falchion strike her armor with enough force to bruise her ribs, even through the heavy plating.

But she wasn't down yet. Swinging her lance, she aimed at Chrom, but wound up delivering Robin a heavy blow on his arm- and then his chest. He had leaped forward to shove Chrom out of harm's way at the last moment. The shock of the wound made his arm and chest numb, even as he watched blood pour from the tears in his robe.

The sight of Robin collapsing was enough to send Chrom into a blind fury. He went on the offensive, keeping the guard guessing with a series of different sword blows, never settling on any one pattern. The woman felt a tiny worm of doubt beginning to gnaw at her mind at his swordsmanship. But this did not stop her from fighting back.

Off to the side, Robin was staining the snow red with his blood. "Chrom…" He whispered. "I'm so sorry… Forgive me." Then all the world went painfully black.

When Robin awoke, he was surprised to see Frederick standing over him with a look of intense concern. "Can you get up sir?" he asked.

Robin blinked twice to make sure that he was seeing things clearly, then he answered. "I feel pretty weak… But if you could help me up…"

The powerful knight reached down to help up the newest Shepherd, who grunted his thanks, and continued to lean heavily on him, even after he was on his feet. Lissa used her staff to get up as well, though Robin had not noticed her sitting behind him.

Looking around, Robin wondered how he had survived his wounds. Lissa saw the look in his glassy eyes and explained, "Chrom was able to hold off Raimi until I could heal you- although you're still gonna need to take it easy for a bit. Then Frederick jumped in the fight and clobbered her with a hammer that he had gotten off of one of our earlier opponents. Thank the gods that I reached you in time, huh?"

Robin frowned. "Thank you for all of your effort, Lissa. But who's Raimi?"

"I am," said a familiar voice. Frederick helped Robin turn to see a battered Captain of the Guard, looking very apologetic.

Turning to the leader of her vanquishers, she said, "A thousand apologies, Prince Chrom. I truly took you for imposters. But no frauds could ever wage battle as you just have!" Then she returned her gaze to Robin and said more softly, "And no brigand would ever shield his companion as you did, sir."

Turning to Chrom once more, she said, "I will send word of your arrival to the capital and escort you there personally." Chrom nodded his agreement.

"That would be most appreciated, thank you," he said evenly.

As Raimi walked away, Robin mumbled just loud enough to be heard by his friends, "Amazing. Her whole demeanor changed."

Frederick nodded his agreement. "In Ferox, strength speaks louder than words." Shaking his head, he grumbled, "I should have known better than to overestimate the value of diplomacy here…"

Seeking to get warm now that night was falling, Lissa turned to her brother. "So can we get going, Chrom?"

The prince nodded and said, "Yes, it's not getting any warmer." And so, with Robin continuing to receive aid from Frederick, the party moved in-doors to spend the night before they could head out to the capital in the morning.


	5. Two Falchions

Two Falchions

The party arrived in the khan's waiting hall the next afternoon. They were told to wait for a while in a series of apartments while their animals were looked after, compliment of the East-Khan themselves.

During this time, Sumia went looking for Chrom, at the request of Robin, who was still recuperating from his injuries. It didn't take her long to find him wandering down in the practice room for the Feroxi guard. "Oh!" she exclaimed as he turned to face her. "There you are!"

Chrom smiled and replied, "Hello Sumia. Did you need something?"

The girl hesitated but said, "Um, no. Robin is just looking for you." She beckoned for him to follow her up to the tactician's room.

Chrom thought for a second before his face cleared up and he said, "Oh, right. The strategy meeting. Poor Robin does love to- AAARGH!" As he had been walking, Chrom suddenly tripped on something, although he managed not to fall on his face like his hapless Pegasus Knight.

"Chrom!" she gasped. "Are you alright?"

"Y-yes!" he stammered. "It's nothing. I just tripped on a pebble, is all."

Sumia gazed at him with concern and she stepped a little closer to him. "It's because you're so exhausted," she said. "You've been working too hard lately."

The prince shook his head tiredly as he replied, "No, I'm fine, Sumia." Shrugging his muscular shoulders he added, "And besides, we're all tired. Such endless fighting wears on everyone." Sumia sighed deeply and shook her head with pity.

"Chrom," she said gently. "You've no need to don a brave face for my sake. You carry twice the burden of anyone. It's only natural you're exhausted." The young man sagged slightly, as if hearing about his burdens made them somehow weigh on him physically.

For a moment, Sumia worried that she may have upset him, but then he grinned and said, "Heh. You're kind to say so." Then his eyes grew very serious. "But in truth, everyone looks to their commander for inspiration and strength. An army is only as stalwart as its leader." Now he was the one to sigh heavily. "The instant I show weakness, we're through."

Sumia's eyes spoke greatly of her pity and concern for her leader and friend. "It must be so hard for you," she said quietly.

Chrom took a deep breath and squared his shoulders as he said, "I'll… be fine. And please, don't speak of this conversation to anyone. All right?"

The girl was so scandalized by the idea that she lost her composure for a moment. "N-no!" she sputtered. "Of course not! I would never-"

Chrom laughed gently and clasped her shoulder as he said, "At ease Sumia!" As he took his hand off, he added, "And stop worrying so much! It'll take more than a few battles to bring this soldier to his knees."

The girl smiled brightly and agreed enthusiastically. "I know! You're the greatest warrior that I've ever-" Suddenly, she stopped talking, and with a rather curious grin on her face. "Huh," she said. "I just realized something."

"What is it?" Chrom wondered aloud.

Sumia blushed slightly, but still met the prince's gaze as she said, "You trusted me with a secret! It's our first secret together!"

To her great surprise, Chrom flushed slightly for a moment as he said, "Um… yes, I suppose it is."

Sumia grinned and reassured him, "Well, don't worry. My lips are sealed tighter than a bear trap." Her grin suddenly took a more sly nature as she added, "So long as you promise to take a nap before the strategy meeting!"

Chrom was immediately taken aback by Sumia's new confidence. "What?" he asked stupidly. Sumia nodded energetically and said, "I'll just tell Robin you've been delayed."

Chrom raised an eyebrow in response. "Really?" he said. "And if I don't agree to your terms?"

Sumia giggled before saying, "Then I'll tell everyone that the mighty Chrom was bested by a mere pebble!"

The warrior squinted his eyes slightly and said, "That sounds like blackmail- still, I suppose a short nap couldn't hurt."

Sumia breathed a quick sigh of relief before covering it up with the words, "Ooh, it's so thrilling to be able to help out like this!" Giving Chrom a wink, she turned to head back to Robin's room. "Anyway, I'll leave you to it," she called over her shoulder. "Sweet dreams!"

Chrom shook his head and muttered to himself, "That girl has a strange knack for getting her way." Then he turned to go find his room. That nap was sounding very appealing.

Down in the mess hall Stahl, Kellam, Vaike and Sully were relaxing. While the two knights spoke quietly to each other, Vaike sat himself across from Sully and said, "Mm-MMM! Now that smells like a slice of heaven. Watcha eatin' there?"

The female rider looked up with a grin to say, "Bogsberry and cabbage pie, with the best cream of treacle in all of Ylisse."

Vaike nodded and added with a wink, "A shiny copper says it was baked by them lady friends that were followin' ya!"

Sully shook her head with mock exasperation and said, "Keep your coin. "They gave it to me before we left to keep me warm on the journey."

The axe man gave her a slightly wounded look as he exclaimed, "Gremlin's tail! The Vaike's never had a gaggle of maidens bake _him_ a pie!" Leaning across the table, he said, "How'd ya do it?! What's your secret?!" When all Sully did was raise an eyebrow, he subsided and muttered, "Er, not that I'm jealous or nothin'." Sully shook her head in mock exasperation, although in all honesty, she preferred dealing with Vaike than Virion.

"I suppose I'm just charming like that," she said with a wink. Then with a slightly conspiratorial tone, she added, "Why, you need advice?"

Vaike laughed loudly and replied, "Ol' Teach don't need advice on that score!" A brief shadow clouded his expression as he said, "I mean, sure, no one's ever bothered to bake me a tasty pie." His swagger returned as he added, "But I knew a milkmaid once who gave me an apple- and it only had one worm in it!"

Sully barely refrained from rolling her eyes as she said, "Well, good for you."

Vaike caught the sarcastic tone in his friend's voice, so he blustered, "'Sides, I'm more of a man's man, ya know? And men don't usually go for pie bakin'."

Seeing that his words were having no effect on Sully, he added, "I'd rather eat a donkey's hindquarters than a pie baked by one'a my mates!" Then he laughed loudly to punctuate his point. Then, more to himself, he added, "Still, I'd give anything to have lasses offering me their pies all the time." Still muttering to himself, he continued, "Maybe it's the horse? Ladies do love the horses."

Sully rolled her eyes openly now and said, "And idiot on a horse is still an idiot." Vaike snapped his head down to meet Sully's bemused gaze.

"What's that supposed to mean?" he asked suspiciously. Then he looked at Sully carefully, as if looking for something.

"Hey, wait a sec, Sully," he said before he really thought about it. "You're a woman. Er, right? Got some tips for the Vaike? What do _you _admire in a man?" Sully considered slugging the muscle-bound fighter after having to even ask about her gender, but she decided to let it go.

"He has to be better than me," she said to answer his question. "Someone I can respect." Vaike still felt a little confused.

"Better?" he repeated. "You mean better looking?"

Sully shook her head impatiently. "I mean better at important things!" she snapped. "Smarter, stronger, faster with a blade and lance."

Vaike grinned and fingered the shaft of his axe. Ever since he had lost it on the battlefield, he never let it out of reach. "Well," he said. "Maybe you should take me on. I'm pretty tough, ya know."

Sully sighed heavily. "If you think fighting me will attract women, you're an even bigger fool than I thought." The she reconsidered the offer. "Eh, but why not?" she decided after a moment. "It's been days since I've dished out a good thrashing."

Then she chuckled with a dangerous spark in her eyes that made even Vaike hesitate.

Finally, when it was nearly time for dinner, Chrom, Frederick, Lissa, and Robin were permitted to see the khan in their throne room. Robin briefly noticed that it was less grand than the Ylissean hall, and more designed for practicality.

When they got there, Raimi was waiting for them. "Prince Chrom," she said by way of greeting. "Please wait here while I summon the khan."

Chrom nodded once and said, "Of course."

As she left to go find the ruler, Robin- who was still heavily bandaged- turned to his leader. "The khan is away?" he asked.

Chrom nodded again as he said, "Out training, I'd wager. The khans prefer battle to politics." After a moment, he amended the statement by saying, "Or rather, battle _is_ their politics." Something in his tone gave Robin the impression that Chrom almost wished that it were this way in Ylisse.

Seeking to lighten the subject, Robin said, "A warrior ruler, eh? I can picture him now- a giant man of unparalleled thew, his broad chest in hair…" The others chuckled quietly at their tactician's joke, until they were interrupted by a deep- yet clearly female- voice.

"Am I now?" it said. "Please, do go on!"

"Huh?" Robin gasped. The party turned to see the khan dressed in light combat armor, complete with a massive sword and shield approaching them with a large smile on her brown-skinned features.

Chrom was equally shocked, for he said, "You're the-?! Er, that is to say…" Then he took a moment to pause and composed himself the way he imagined Emmeryn would. "The khan, I presume?" he said in a mediated voice.

The woman nodded and replied, "One of them, yes- the East-Khan. My name is Flavia." Her face took on a slightly embarrassed expression as she added, "I apologize for the troubles at the border, Prince Chrom. You are welcome in Regna Ferox."

Chrom nodded and said, "Thank you, but I'm confident we can put that misunderstanding behind us."

Robin felt the urge to mutter, 'Speak for yourself.' But he held his tongue out of deference to the Halidom.

Chrom continued to speak by asking, "Is it true bandits posing as Ylisseans have been ransacking your border villages?"

Flavia's features darkened with anger at the mention of the raids. "Yes," she growled. "Those Plegian dogs! We found documents proving as such on the corpse of one of their captains." After a moment of consideration, she added, "Plegia must see some benefit in raising tensions between your kingdom and ours."

"Damn them!" Chrom snapped before he could reign his tongue in. Looking stricken at the khan he said, "I… Forgive me, Your Grace. That was… indelicately put."

To his surprise, Flavia laughed and said, "Damn them and damn delicacy! Here in Ferox, we appreciate plain speech."

Chrom, now feeling more confident with this turn of events straightened himself a bit and said, "In that case, you should have a word with your damn border guards." He gave Robin's bandages a pointed look as he said it.

Flavia laughed approvingly. "Now that's Feroxi diplomacy!" she chuckled. "Yes, I like you already." During this exchange, Chrom was beginning to have a sneaking suspicion that his sister had sent him on this mission for more than one reason.

Getting serious now, Flavia said, "I know why you have come, Prince." Her face clouded over as she said, "But regrettably, I cannot provide any Feroxi troops for Ylisse."

Lissa was the first to voice their shocked thoughts. "What?!" she demanded. "Why not?!"

Flavia sighed heavily and said, "I lack the authority."

Chrom shook his head in confusion at this. "Forgive me," he said. "But I don't understand. Aren't you the khan?"

"Listen," Flavia said with a bit of steel in her voice. "As I said, I am _one_ of the khans. In Ferox, the khans of east and west hold a tournament every few years. The victor acquires total sovereignty over both kingdoms." She paused to let this sink in before adding, "And that means they have the final say when it comes to forging alliances.

"The West-Khan won the last tournament you see, and so…" She let the sentence go unfinished.

Chrom groaned slightly as he said, "So we are to receive no aid at all?"

Flavia shook her head and scolded the prince, "Only if you always give up so easily!"

Seeing that she had their hopeful attention again, Flavia said, "The next tournament is nigh, you see, and I am in need of champions."

Chrom voiced the group's confusion at the strange words. "What does that have to with us?" he said carefully.

"The captain of my border guard informs me that your Shepherds are quite capable. Perhaps you would consider representing the East in the upcoming tournament?" When the Ylisseans were too surprised to speak, Flavia added, "If you win and I become ruling khan, I will grant your alliance."

"Really?" Chrom asked. "I would have assumed that Ylisseans had no such place in Feroxi traditions."

Flavia startled them with a burst of belly laughs. When she had settled, she said, "On the contrary. The khans themselves do not fight- they choose champions to represent them. Otherwise our land would be rife with blood feuds and dead khans!"

The Prince of Ylisse nodded. It made sense to him. "We don't involve comrades or kin for the same reason," Flavia added. "Over time it was decided the tournament should be fought by outsiders. Although…" She let the last word stretch out a bit with her smile. "The outsiders have never included foreign royalty," she said. "That I know of!" Seeing the undecided looks on their faces, Flavia said, "Regardless, it is your choice to make."

Only needing to look back at his friends for a second, Chrom knew the answer. "There is no choice, East-Khan," he said firmly. "My people are desperate. We face not only Plegia's constant attacks, but now the added threat of the Risen. If fighting for you is the quickest way to an alliance, then we will take up our steel."

Flavia raised her eyebrows at the bold speech, then burst into laughter again. "Oh, I like you, Prince Chrom. I do hope you survive the tournament!"

Turning to include the others, she said, "Come. I'll show you the arena where the tournament is held." As they began to walk, she said, "But be wary! I hear an equally able swordsman champions the West-Khan."

"He shall be defeated by Ylisse's necessity," Chrom said firmly.

Flavia chuckled again and replied, "Well spoken again- I look forward to seeing if you're equally skilled with a blade!"

Two days later, Robin's wounds were still not healed enough for him to fight, much to Lissa and Chrom's frustration. "I'm so sorry!" Lissa cried. "But my staff isn't strong enough to heal you right away…"

"It's not your fault," Robin said with a pained shrug.

"What are we supposed to do without you, though?" Chrom asked him.

The blond tactician chuckled and said, "I know you're worried Chrom, but I've asked Miriel to step into my position as the team's magic user. She's good enough."

"That's not what I meant," Chrom snapped.

"Hey, leave him alone!" Lissa protested. "It's not his fault you left yourself open for a stab wound that he had to take for you." Chrom went to argue back, but his sister's words cut through to his heart.

"You're right," he said quietly. "I'm sorry, Robin."

The tactician waved the words aside and said, "It's no less than what you would have done if our positions had been switched." Seeing that Chrom was still feeling down, he added, "Look at it this way- this time, I won't be around to save you, so you'll just have to do a good job no matter what happens out there."

The words were delivered with a cheerful smile, but the message was clear- this time, it was up to Chrom to win for the East-Khan, and the Ylisseans depending on the Feroxi reinforcements. The words were designed to goad Chrom into action.

Before Chrom could say anything to protest, a horn rang throughout the arena. That was the signal that was given to warn each team that they had only minutes before the combat. The crowd roared with approval in anticipation of the violent spectacle.

Robin ribbed Chrom slightly and said, "I'll walk out with you to see if I can pick up on anything last-minute." Chrom nodded his agreement, and the three of them walked to join the other Shepherds.

Once they had been announced as the representatives of the East-Khan, they walked out onto the arena grounds with weapons brandished and heads held high. The crowd roared its approval at the royal party's confidence.

The arena itself was massive, big enough for an entire century to form ranks comfortably. And the stands held tens of thousands of Feroxi, eager for the khan's tournament to begin.

The Ylisseans had just gotten into position when Lissa grabbed Chrom's arm hard and shouted with a pointed finger, "Chrom, look!" Robin saw Chrom immediately tense up as he saw what his sister was pointing at.

Or rather, _who _she was pointing at. On the other side of the arena, the masked warrior Marth stood, armed for the tournament. _He must be the swordsman that Flavia mentioned,_ Robin thought.

"I see him," Chrom said quietly. The masked man regarded them evenly, not even giving any indication that he recognized them. "Hey, Marth!" Chrom shouted to the warrior. "One question before we begin?"

When he continued to stay silent, Chrom grew impatient. "Fine then," he said. "Our swords can speak for us!" With that, he drew Falchion, and the crowd grew silent. The signal to begin the tournament had not yet been given. What was going on?

It was now that Marth finally responded by action. Pulling his own blade out of its scabbard, he held it in a ready position. Chrom gasped in shock as the blade caught the light- it was the same as his own! It was a parallel Falchion!

"Where did you get that?" he asked. Marth did not respond. "There's no way…" Chrom could not bring himself to believe where his mind was going. A thousand thought blazed through his mind, but the only one that could possibly make sense was; _Is this truly the Hero-King of old, come from across the bounds of history?_ Chrom wondered to himself.

There was only one way to find out if the blade itself was the real deal or not. Leaping high, Chrom summersaulted in midair to give himself more momentum so that when he brought down his sword it would cleave a lesser blade in two.

Marth regarded him coolly before bring up his sword to block. When the two pieces of metal collided, sparks flew, but neither one of them showed any signs of breaking. As Chrom leapt back to give himself room, he realized that the other sword truly was a mirror of his own Falchion- no other blade could have withstood a stroke like that, let alone be unscathed.

The two warriors exchanged a series of blows, but neither one was able to get the upper hand- although both sensed that the other was not giving their all, either. Yet something about the way that Marth fought was vaguely familiar.

It took Chrom a moment to realize that he was using the fighting style handed down through the Exalt's family for multiple millennia. "Tell me," he grunted as he blocked an overhand slash. "Who taught you to fight like that?"

Marth regarded him silently as they locked blades, both trying to shove the other backwards. After they both leaped back, they performed the same royal salute before executing a leaping thrust. Neither one stabbed the other, but they passed by to end up with their backs to their opponent's team.

Just as Chrom had turned around to face Marth, the mysterious warrior leaped high in the air to perform the same aerial maneuver that Chrom had moments before. Just before he landed, Marth finally shouted, "My father!"

Chrom did not block the blow this time, however, but simply rolled to the side before moving back to join his team. Marth raised his sword to make sure Chrom didn't try anything dirty before backing up to join his own group.

Robin had watched the whole affair with interest, but he kept his word to Chrom as soon as the Captain got back. "Marth is a gifted swordsman," he said. "And his men look capable as well. You should mind your distance."

"How do you propose we handle the situation?" said Frederick.

"Have the javelin and magic users strike first, so that when they're recovering, the close-quarters combatants can finish them off," said Robin. "Frederick, hang back a bit so that Lissa can get to anybody that needs treatment as fast as they can, alright?"

When everyone nodded that they were on the same page, Robin added, "One last thing- don't hold back one bit. This is a fight to the death for total power, so don't expect any mercy from the other team."

Chrom nodded his thanks and said, "Thank you Robin. Now move back, so the tournament can get started." The wounded man nodded and left the fighting grounds as fast as his bandages would allow.

Vaike ran alongside Miriel, Virion, and Sully, who was riding her horse at a canter. "Remember Robin's formulae of attack," said Miriel. "Virion and I will strike their footman from a distance so that our own close-quarters experts may engage them in a favorable manner."

"Yeah, thanks for the lecture, professor," Sully replied. "But let's put the lesson plan away for right now and get some things done!"

"Aye!" cried Virion. "Let the bards begin to tune their instruments for this glorious battle! Virion, AWAY!"

At that, Vaike thought to himself, _Oh what the hell?_ "It's Vaike time!" he shouted. With their war cries given, the group was the first to engage with the West-Khan's representatives. And the crowd roared with delight at the intensity of the violent skirmish.

On the other side of the arena, Chrom and Sumia advanced on their opponents with Lissa and Frederick not far behind, all of them with grim expressions. None of them wished for unnecessary bloodshed, but the needs of Ylisse outweighed their wants. _So we shall do what we must,_ thought Chrom as he prepared to attack with Falchion.

The following battles were short, but violent. The Ylisseans did their best not to kill any of their opponents, but most of the time it could not be avoided. Through it all, Marth stood off to the side without as much as a word of encouragement to his teammates.

By the time that the Ylisseans were prepared to face them, Virion was heavily wounded due a rather quick-footed swordsman making it past Sully and Vaike. Sully had also taken a bad hit from an axe, although her armor prevented her from taking any critical damage.

Lissa was busy helping them while Chrom waved the others back as he approached Marth, by himself. This was to be his fight, and his alone.

As he approached the swordsman, the latter took a fighting stance again without a word. Chrom sensed that this time, the battle would be in earnest. "Who is your father?" he asked the mysterious young man. He hoped to know if this truly was the Hero-King of old.

To his great disappointment, Marth answered, "My apologies, but I've said enough for one day, sir."

"Hmph," Chrom muttered. "Is that how it is then?" The two of them ignored the jeers of the crowd telling them to finish the fight.

"Lissa owes you her life," Chrom said. "And for that you have my gratitude. But within these walls, I represent the East-Khan and the interests of Ylisse." Raising his blade into his own fighting position, Chrom added, "I can't promise to stay my blade, but I vow not to shame you."

Marth's lips twisted into a slightly mocking smile. "Heh, never expected such youthful arrogance," he said, although if he was actually speaking to Chrom, the Prince could not tell. Then Marth shouted, "We shall see who shames who!"

With that, the battle began, and those who had been watching with an expert's eye could tell the difference in effort from both fighters this time. The two blades moved faster than snakes and they struck with the force of thunderbolts. Both fighters were so skilled, it seemed like they could duel until judgment day and neither one could gain the upper hand.

Then Marth slipped. It was just the barest of a faltering in his stride, but Chrom was trained to find such weaknesses and exploit them. Moving in close, Chrom thrust the hilt of his holy sword into Marth's abdomen, causing the mysterious blade master to double over instinctively. Then Chrom whirled and brought the hilt down on Marth's head with shocking force.

The masked man fell to the arena floor, stunned. But Chrom could have sword he heard him say, "Impressive… If not surprising…" Then he passed out, and the tournament was over. The East-Khan's representatives had won her power over Ferox.

Later, once the stadium had been cleared and the wounded taken to the healers, Flavia approached the royal party with Robin and a large smile. "Well fought!" she declared. "You have my respect."

Turning to Chrom she added, "And perhaps more to the point, you have your alliance. I will provide Ylisse with the soldiers she needs."

Chrom heaved a huge sigh of relief and said, "Truly? Thank you, East-Khan."

Flavia laughed heartily and replied, "I should thank you! It feels like ages since I've held full power!" Turning around and beckoning them to join her she announced, "Come, my new friends! Tonight, we celebrate!"

Before they could go after her, two men approached them, both with hard looks in their eyes. One of them was darker skinned like Flavia, dressed in blue-and-gold armor that left his chest bare as his bald head, save for an eye patch. The other was pale in comparison with dark hair, and the only remarkable thing about him was that he carried a slightly curved, single-edged sword instead of a traditional straight sword.

"Bah!" said the darker one. "Any excuse for a party, and Flavia jumps on it."

Chrom frowned at the man's demeanor, but kept calm as he replied, "I'm sorry, have we met before?"

The man shook his head and replied roughly, "I'm the West-Khan you so rudely removed from power!" Looking Chrom over, he nodded to himself as if making some kind of silent appraisal. "You're handy with a sword boy," he said with a grudging admiration. "I thought for sure I'd picked the better man."

At the mention of Marth, Chrom's interest was suddenly piqued. "What do you know about him?" he asked.

"You mean that 'Marth'?" the West-Khan snorted. "Bah! He's just some sellsword with delusions of grandeur. All I know is that he turned up one eve and knocked my old champion flat." Laughing to himself, he added, "It was love at first sight, and I'm generally too old for such things!" Looking around the arena, he said, "Anyway, he's gone now. Up and fled the moment the tournament ended."

Lissa sighed deeply and said, "He's so dark and mysterious…"

Robin rolled his eyes and muttered just loud enough to be heard, "It sounds like Marth's got at least one fan."

Lissa flushed slightly and protested, "Well, I mean, c'mon… He _is _sort of dreamy isn't he?"

Robin's right eyebrow shot up. Both of Chrom's went down. "And _you're_ sort of dreaming!" he snapped.

"Yowch!" Lissa giggled. "Lighten up Big Brother. I was just kidding."

Frederick coughed gently. Once he had the others' attention he said, "Milord? Milady? If this fascinating discussion is over, we'd best return home. The Exalt will want news of our new alliance immediately."

Chrom smiled and replied, "Right as always Frederick."

Before they could go, the West-Khan stopped them by saying, "Hold, Boy." When Chrom turned to face him, the lesser khan said, "Before you go, I have a little present for you." Clapping his hand on his silent companion's shoulder he said, "This is Lon'qu, my former champion. Not much for talking, mind you, but he's peerless with a sword. As good as Marth in my mind."

Scratching his bare head, the khan muttered, "To be honest, I can't figure out how Marth bested him so quickly."

Lissa moved to get a better look at the man while saying, "Marth beat him? But he looks so big and strong!"

As soon as she got within reaching distance, Lon'qu flinched and barked, "Away, woman!"

Lissa jerked back as though she had been burned. "Hey!" she protested. "Wh-what did I say?!"

The West-Khan laughed heartily before explaining, "Let's just say that ladies tend to put Lon'qu on edge!" Getting serious, he added, "Nonetheless, he is capable. Perhaps he even has the makings of a khan…" The last part was more to himself than anything, but Chrom knew that if the West-Khan was saying so, then this Lon'qu character was not to be taken lightly.

"Consider him West Ferox's contribution to the Ylissean cause," the khan said. The offer took Chrom by surprise.

"You're sure about this?" he asked the other man.

"Yes, yes," the khan said impatiently. "He's your man now."

Turning to the former champion, Chrom added, "And Lon'qu? You have no objections?"

The pale Feroxi shrugged. "He gives orders. I stab people. I think our roles are clear."

Taken aback somewhat by Lon'qu's apathetic manner, Chrom said, "…All right, then. Welcome aboard."

A couple of weeks later, everyone's wounds were fully healed, and the Shepherds were home. While most of the others went to relax from such the rough campaign, Lissa and Chrom went to report to Emmeryn about the events that had occurred since their departure in the grand throne room.

"Then Regna Ferox will support Ylisse?" Emmeryn asked her brother once he had concluded his tale. Chrom assured that they would, and Emmeryn smiled with relief. "Thank you, Chrom," she said. "I knew sending you was the right choice."

Chrom grinned happily and added, "You should see Ferox's warriors! Perhaps now our people will be safe from-"

"Your Grace!" A familiar voice interrupted Chrom exuberance.

"M-milord!" said captain Phila as she rushed up to the royal family. "Forgive me! But I bring alarming news!"

Emmeryn spread her arms in a gesture of calm while saying, "Phila! Slow down, please. What happened?"

"Plegian soldiers have been sighted inside our southwest border!" the captain said frantically. "They attacked a village in Themis and kidnapped the duke's daughter!"

Lissa shrieked with fright. "B-but that would be… Maribelle!" Turning to her brother, whose face was hard with anger, she begged, "Chrom, we have to do something!"

But Phila wasn't done yet. "There's more," she said. "King Gangrel of Plegia claims that Lady Maribelle invaded _his_ country. He demands we pay reparations for this 'insult'."

"And we're to believe a dastard like the Mad King of Plegia?" Chrom spat.

"Peace Chrom," said Emmeryn, as dignified as ever. "We must keep our wits about us." Chrom shook his head. He loved his sister, but sometimes her patience with other grated on his nerves in the extreme.

"We should put a sword in his gut and be done with it!" he snarled venomously. "The Mad King has been trying to provoke a war with Ylisse at every step! He won't stop until he drags this whole continent to hell with him!"

Phila nodded firmly. "I agree with the Prince, Your Grace," she said. "We must demonstrate to Plegia that such actions have consequences."

But Emmeryn shook her head. "I understand your feelings, Chrom," she said gently. "Truly I do. But if we give him the war he wants, we lose, no matter what we do." Turning to look at her brother in the eye, she said in a solemn tone, "Our last conflict nearly ruined the halidom. It left Ylisseans homeless and starving."

Chrom flinched as he remembered those dark times. He had been young, but not young enough to forget those evil times, and the pain it caused them all. Seeing that her point had gone home, Emmeryn nodded and said, "We cannot repeat those mistakes."

Drawing herself up, Emmeryn said, "I will offer parley with King Gangrel."

"Emm, no, you can't!" Lissa protested. Even she was taken aback by this plan.

Phila also voiced her objections, albeit in a less personal manner. "Please reconsider, Your Grace," she said. "He cannot be trusted to act in good faith!"

Emmeryn did not waver, even for a split second. "So either we choose to march to war, or leave Lady Maribelle to die?" she said flatly. "No. I will not accept that."

Phila nodded and apologized immediately. "Forgive me, Your Grace," she said quietly. "I spoke out of turn. I know you will always stand by your own principals. Pray, allow the Pegasus Knights to accompany you, though."

Chrom nodded and added, "I'm going, too. Someone has to save you from your good intentions."

"And I want to be there for both you _and_ Maribelle!" Lissa interjected.

Here at last, Emmeryn agreed. "As you wish," she said with a small smile. "Thank you all. Your strength will be mine."

Later that night, once Robin had been briefed on the situation, and the Shepherds were assembled, Chrom turned to his closest companions. "Well then?" he asked. "Is everyone ready to go? It's a long march through the western mountains to the Plegian border."

Just as the others gave the affirmative that they were prepared, a young man named Ricken rushed up. He looked to be no older than thirteen, but Robin had heard about the young mage from the others. He knew that the boy was actually closer to sixteen, not to mention that he was an expert in wind magic.

Nonetheless, he was still known to act like a kid from time to time, as was about to be demonstrated. "Captain!" he said. "I'm all packed! When do we leave?"

"Ricken?" Chrom asked in surprise. "How did you..?" Then he composed himself. "Go back inside," he ordered. "You're not old enough for this mission."

"But Captain!" the boy protested. "You know my skill with magic! You know I can handle myself!" Chrom shook his head firmly in response. "I'd feel safer with your magic here, protecting the garrison," the Prince said. "All right?"

Turning to the others, he said, "We're off then." Looking over his shoulder once as they took off, Chrom added to Ricken, "Be good!"

After a few moments of standing alone, Ricken muttered to himself, "Be good'? Gods, how old does he think I am?" Coming to a decision, he growled, "Well, I'll just show him how good I can be!"


	6. The Exalt and the King

The Exalt and the King

It was the night before they would reach the border between Plegia and Ylisse.

The Royal family stayed mostly inside Emmeryn's pavilion alone, although Robin was called upon at one point. The mood about the camp was grim, for they all knew that tomorrow could very well spell out the beginning of a new war between the two countries.

Nonetheless, Frederick insisted on maintaining discipline amongst the higher-ups, which of course included Robin. He personally tutored the new tactician in the manner of swordplay, much to the latter's dismay.

Things came to a head when Robin's form began to waver due to exhaustion. "Your grip, stance, and breathing are all wrong," the knight said to the blond man. "Focus, Robin… Again!"

Robin, sweat dripping from his forehead looked up at his tormentor and growled, "Ready!" And then they fought for several hard minutes. Robin was skilled, but in the end, Frederick's dedicated training won out. He played his sword in a circle to finally smack the practice blade from Robin's hand.

The tactician sat down in the dust, defeated. Looking up, he expected to see condescension from Chrom's champion, but instead the warrior had a look of approval written on his face.

"That's enough for today," he said as he extended his hand. "Your form has improved considerably." After a moment, he even added, "The pace of your progress is remarkable."

Robin took the strong grip and allowed himself to be hoisted to his feet. "Th-thanks," he huffed. "It feels like… I've got the basics… Down now…" The tactician wavered unsteadily as he stood erect, prompting him to say, "But… S-so tired… I think I'm dying…"

Frederick snorted derisively at Robin's complaints. "Ha! You're exaggerating!" he laughed. "Or at least, I pray so." Adding a slightly malicious smile, he added, "Otherwise you might as well die here- you won't last long on the battlefield."

Robin groaned as he stretched his already-stiffening muscles. "I suppose," he muttered. "But I'm exhausted nonetheless…" Looking at Frederick with a trace of envy, he said, "But you… You've hardly broken a sweat?"

The knight shook his head immediately. "I should certainly hope not," he said. "If a little training winded me, I would be in no shape to serve Chrom."

Robin chuckled lightly and replied, "Well, I'm impressed. You must train hard to build such endurance." Frederick shrugged, although Robin could tell that the man was pleased with himself.

"Well," said Frederick. "I awaken before dawn each day to build the campfires. Then, whenever we march, I scout the trail ahead, removing rocks and such." Grinning at Robin he said, "Wouldn't do to have someone turn an ankle mid-campaign, now would it?"

Robin blinked in surprise as Frederick went on about his self-set chores. "So that's why…" Robin muttered to himself. "I always thought it was just a fixation with pebble collecting." But his words were not unnoticed.

"Beg pardon, did you say something?" Frederick asked his student.

The latter shook his head immediately and said, "Er, nothing important!" When Frederick said nothing, Robin shook his head again and said, "But I owe you for this training session, so let me help you with tomorrow's fire."

Grinning, Robin pulled out his thunder tome and said, "It'll be a snap with my magic. Find a tree, hit it with a lightning bolt, and presto!"

Frederick simply raised an eyebrow and said, "Instant forest fire."

"Oh!" exclaimed Robin. "Well, yes, I suppose that… could happen…" _Gods,_ he thought to himself. _And _I'm _supposed to be the smart one!_

Shrugging his shoulders, Robin sighed and decided just to say, In any case, I do still owe you a favor. Whatever you like- name it, and it's yours." Seeing the hesitant look on Frederick's face, he added, "You needn't decide today, of course. Think it over for the next time we meet."

The knight hesitated, but then nodded with a smile. "I am unaccustomed to asking favors," he said. "But if you insist, I shall find something."

With that, the two men shook hands and went their separate ways- Frederick to guard the Exalt's tent, and Robin to find healer. As he was walking, Robin could not suppress a smile. Now that Frederick had finally accepted him, he felt as though he could truly call the Shepherds his home.

However, it wasn't long before Robin was rushing out of the healer's tent to find Chrom, despite his aching body. Finding the Prince out on patrol, he rushed up to him and cried, "Chrom! Are you alright?!"

The heir to the throne of Ylisse cocked his head in response and said, "Er, yes, I'm fine." Frowning at Robin with concern, he added, "What's got you so excited?"

Robin looked at his leader like he had grown an extra set of arms. "I heard you were attacked behind the mess tent!"

"Pfft!" Chrom replied with a grin. "Some local thug approached with a dagger, but he bolted when I drew iron. It was dark… The poor fellow probably thought he was mugging a merchant! Ha!"

But Robin was not comforted by this. "You challenged him alone?!" he practically shrieked. Chrom shrugged noncommittally. "Well, I wouldn't say 'challenged', exactly," he said with a tinge of what Robin could have sworn was disappointment. "More like 'shooed away'. Can't very well have that sort of thing around the camp now, can we?"

Robin couldn't stand how lightly his friend was taking the whole thing. "By the gods, Chrom!" he groaned. "Please, I beg you, do not take any more of these foolish risks."

But again, Chrom waved his concerns aside. "Hah!" he scoffed. "You do realize we're possibly about to war, right? Just walking onto the battlefield is a risk."

I don't fear anyone besting you head-on," Robin said with an exhausted shake of his head. "I fear you being stabbed in the back! Many of our enemies do not share your sense of honor."

"Do you really think some random cutpurse would get the better of me?"

"Shall I list every hero who said that before being poisoned, sniped, or snared?" Robin raised an eyebrow as he spoke.

Chrom rolled his eyes and said, "Well, I don't think a list is necess-"

"You're our _commander_, Chrom…" Robin interrupted. "Battlefield victories mean nothing if an army loses its leader. You're no longer simply your own man. You stand for all of us." He was about to say more, but his leader raised a hand for silence.

"Enough," he said wearily. "You have a point. You're right… as you always are." Straightening himself, Chrom said, "I will be more careful. Thank you, Robin."

The next day, the party reached the Plegian border, on a mountain range. The party could see two people standing on a ledge a fair distance away from them when Chrom called a halt. The pair could only be described as sinister.

One was a man with a fine crown atop his head- the king, Robin thought. He was powerfully built, as his tight black-and-purple vest so easily showed. He also wore the same colors upon his breeches, and his cape looked to be made of a yellow material.

However, the appearance of those two did not worry Robin nearly as much as the people that he _couldn't_ see- for he had no doubt that the Mad King would resort to force if things did not go his way.

"Mad King Gangrel?" Robin whispered to Lissa. Her only response was to nod once and tighten her grip on her staff. Robin placed a firm grip on her and whispered, "Don't worry. We'll get Maribelle back, safe and sound."

Then the king spoke. It was a high-pitched, annoying sound to Robin's ears. "What's this, then?" he said with mock surprise. "The Exalt herself, in all her radiance? I fear I must shield my eyes!" Then he cackled, an even more aggravating sound.

Emmeryn's voice, by contrast, was calm and soothing. "King Gangrel," she said. "I have come for the truth of this unfortunate incident between us."

"The truth?" said the woman next to the king, prompting Robin to take a better look at her. "I can give you the truth."

What Robin saw both disgusted him and- if he was being honest- frightened him a little bit. The woman was dressed all in black, but there wasn't a modest amount of material. Her midriff was showing quite easily, and her bosom was barely contained by her clothing. She wore a very short skirt, although there were high riding boots to compensate for that. Lastly, her skin was marked by strange tattoos of a purple color that matched the king's garments. But her cold gaze was what sent chills down Robin's spine.

If Emmeryn was disturbed by the woman's appearance, she gave no sign of it. "Perhaps milady might first share her name?" she inquired.

The other woman smiled mockingly and gave a short bow. "You may call me Aversa," she said in the tone of a viper.

"Very well, Aversa," the Exalt replied. "Is Maribelle unharmed?"

"Who?" said the pale King of Plegia. Then he remembered. "Oh yes," he exclaimed. "The little blonde brat." Turning to an unseen figure, he waved them forward. _So I was right about him having hidden troops,_ thought Robin. He tightened his grip on his sword, but did not draw it. Not yet.

Before they even came into view, they could hear Maribelle shouting against her captors. "Unhand me, you gutter-born troglodyte!" she shouted venomously.

"Maribelle!" Lissa cried.

She started to run to her friend, but Robin held her back. "No!" he whisper-shouted. "I'll not see you captured as well!" Lissa looked up at him with pain in her eyes, but she stopped resisting his grasp.

"Lissa?" Maribelle's voice drifted down just before she appeared, dragged by a Plegian foot soldier. The lady looked a little bruised, but she was not seriously harmed. "Darling, is that you?" she called down as she spotted Lissa, who was standing close to Robin.

Before Lissa could answer, Aversa's silky voice reached the Ylissean's ears. "This girl crossed the Plegian border without our consent," she said with a barely contained smile. "And what's more… She wounded the brave Plegian soldiers who sought only to escort her safely home."

"LIES!" Maribelle thundered. "You speak nothing but lies, hag! Do they not teach the meaning of the word 'truth' in wretched-crone school?!"

Aversa waited for a moment after Maribelle had finished before saying, "You see? No manners at all. Such a nasty little bird simply had to be caged."

King Gangrel nodded in agreement. "Such a violent temper speaks to her guilt," he said. "This will call for weighty punishment."

The last part was added with a sickening smile. And he wasn't done yet. "And if she were to later confess to being an Ylissean spy?" he cackled. "My goodness! It would take an act of _considerable_ good faith to repair our relations."

"I have done nothing wrong!" Maribelle shouted, struggling against the grip of her captor. "It is they who should confess! They are the ones who invaded Ylisse! They razed an entire village! When I attempted to intervene, they took me across the border." Addressing Emmeryn directly, she added, "Let the plundered shops and charred bones of that village serve as my proof!"

Gangrel rolled his eyes once the noblewoman had finished. "That would only prove that Ylisse has a bandit problem- something I hear oft of late…" Then, with that wicked smile of his, he added, "But indeed, tonight I shall weep salty tears into my pillow for your dead villagers."

"Your Grace, please!" Maribelle cried out.

"Peace, Maribelle," Emmeryn said with a graceful nod. "I believe you." Looking up at Mad King Gangrel with steel in her eyes, Robin now saw the true family resemblance between her and Chrom.

"King Gangrel," she called out. "I request that you release this woman at once. Surely you and I can sort out these affairs without the need for hostages." The ruler of Plegia's only response to the demand was feigned offense.

"Without so much an apology?" he said. "Why should I even bother with parley? I'm within my rights to have her head this instant and be home in time for supper."

At this point, Chrom, who had been maintaining his silence out of respect for his sister, could contain himself no more. "You black-hearted devil!" he roared, grasping Falchion and preparing to draw it.

Robin also pulled out his new thunder tome, which he had acquired from the royal library. He had by no means mastered it, but he was learning the more advanced magics within its pages- it contained far more spells than his old book.

Seeing their actions, Gangrel's face lit up with a wolfish smile. "Control your dog, my dear," he said slowly. "Before he gets someone hurt."

"Rrgh…" Chrom growled.

Seeing that the Prince was subdued, Gangrel moved on to say, "Now then, Your Graceliness. Perhaps we can arrange for a trade?" When Emmeryn said nothing, Gangrel nodded and said, "You give me the Fire Emblem. And I return Mari Contrary here in one piece."

Robin had no idea what the Fire Emblem was, but Emmeryn's response showed that she was caught off-guard for once- horrified, even. "You would ask for Ylisse's royal treasure?" she gasped. "But why?"

"Because I know the legend!" Gangrel snapped. "The fire Emblem is the key to having all one's wishes realized. I have desired it for years. YEARS!" Something in his voice told Robin that the man was very close to the edge. "Yet my birthday comes and goes each year," the man continued. "And nothing from Ylisse."

"The Emblem's power is meant for a single purpose, King Gangrel," said Emmeryn, who had regained her composure. "To save the world and its people at their hour of most desperate need. Would you claim a more noble wish?"

Gangrel nodded happily in response. "I want what every Plegian wants," he cackled. "A grisly end for every last Ylissean! What could be more noble than that?"

"What?" was all Emmeryn could say.

"I see why they call him the 'Mad King'," Robin muttered to Lissa.

Suddenly Gangrel's demeanor turned foul. "Surely you haven't forgotten what the last Exalt did to my people?" he growled. "Your father named us heathens! His 'crusade' across Plegia butchered countless of my subjects and kin!"

Suddenly, Robin understood the animosity between the two countries. _But how could a warmonger such as that raise someone like Emmeryn?_ He wondered.

"I have never denied Ylisse's past wrongdoings," Emmeryn said after a moment. "But I have sworn never to repeat those mistakes. Ours is now a realm of peace."

"Yours is now a haven of hypocrisy!" the opposing ruler spat. "Now give me the Fire Emblem!"

_He isn't even being subtle about it anymore,_ Robin thought.

"No, Your Grace!" Maribelle cried out. "I'd sooner die than act as a bargaining chip for this filthy reprobate!" Emmeryn shook her head.

"No, Maribelle," she said, just loud enough to be heard.

But now Gangrel had lost all patience. "Ugh…" he groaned. "Taaaaaalk talk-talk-talk-talk. It's time to speak louder than words! This negotiation is over Your Luminosity!" Clicking his fingers twice and pointing at the Ylisseans, he shouted, "I shall have the Emblem if I have to pry it from your shiny dead hands!"

With that, three Plegian soldiers leapt out from behind a cluster of rocks and charged at the Exalt. But as fast as their captain was, Chrom was faster. Falchion came to life in his hands and struck down the closest of them, prompting the other two to remain at a safe distance.

"Stay back!" Chrom shouted. "Or you'll all suffer the same fate!" He was positively shaking with fury by now.

"Now that's a declaration of war, if I've ever heard one," Gangrel cackled. "A big, messy war that will bleed you Ylisseans dry!" Then he laughed loud and long as he and Aversa retreated while more Plegian soldiers began pouring into the pass.

"Pegasus Knights!" Chrom shouted. "Protect the Exalt! Get her out of here!"

"What about you, milord?" Phila asked as she helped Emmeryn into the saddle.

Chrom shook his head in response. "Not your concern!" he said. "Your priority is Emm. Now go! That's an order!" before the Exalt could protest her brother's decision, Phila had set her Pegasus to flight at a gallop.

Turning to his Shepherds' tactician, Chrom gestured at the charging soldiers. "Got any ideas?" Scanning the text of his yellow book, Robin nodded with a mock shrug. "I can think of one or two."

Stretching out his arm, he called to those behind him, "Split up into your usual pairs! Find Maribelle, and kill any of these dogs that get in your way!" The words of his tome sprang to life in an orbit around him as he prepared to cast magic.

"What about you?" Chrom asked. "You've yet to fight with a partner other than me." Robin shook his head and cast his Elthunder spell, instantly downing a charging horseman. Both man and steed fell, causing those behind them to slow down in an effort to avoid their bodies.

"I'm going solo," he said as he drew his blade and put away his tome. "And no arguing! I'm the tactician, so I call the shots here! Now GO!"

Off on the rise, Aversa sighed as she approached Maribelle. "Poor, stupid girl," she said with a shake of her head. "Are you really worth fighting a war over? Years from now, you will only be known as she who destroyed House Ylisse."

"No…" Maribelle groaned. "That's not… Oh Lissa… Please no…" Just as she was about to collapse from the sheer grief, a powerful blast of wind magic slammed into the guard holding her, slamming him against the rocky cliff, and knocking him unconscious.

Aversa looked around to see a youth dressed in mage robes, carrying an advanced wind tome. "Maribelle!" Ricken cried. "Go! You're free!"

"_Ricken_?!" Maribelle responded. "What are you doing here?"

Grabbing her arm, Ricken began leading her away from Aversa. "Just run!" he said. "We can talk about it later!"

"Oh, is this your little boyfriend?" Aversa said in mock-sweet tone. "Isn't he just precious."

Ricken stopped running. He turned around with anger etched into his face and he shouted, "Don't talk down to me, witch!" Then, faster than either women thought possible, the boy lashed out with his arm to send another wind spell, this time at Aversa.

The woman managed to block most of the magic, but she was still winded for a moment. "Nngh," she growled. "W-wind magic?"

"Come on, Maribelle!" Ricken said, eager to get moving again.

"Right!" the girl replied, finally galvanized into action. And they took off as fast as their legs could carry them.

By this time, Aversa had recovered. "Wretched whelp!" she hissed. "I should…" Then she hesitated. "No," she mused to herself. "Our soldiers have them outnumbered. The brats will be dead long before they can reach their comrades."

Satisfied that her work there was complete, she headed up to join her king.

Looking down from his higher view, Gangrel could not help but cackle. "I have my war!" he crowed. Turning to his Wyvern unit commander, he said, "Captain Orton! Remain here and take down as many Ylisseans as you can! You can expect reinforcements from the fort as well. Now do your best- at doing your worst!"

Cackling once more, he left for his castle with Aversa close behind him. "Pleasure's all mine, your majesty," the captain said with a cruel smile splitting his face.

Back at the base of the mountain, things were going badly for Robin. He had wandered into one of the forts, hoping to get a moment's respite from the battle, only to discover that there Wyvern Riders waiting inside to spring on whoever came near to them.

The tactician's mind raced as he had fought for his life. If he could only get a moment to reach for his wind tome, he could down the dragons with ease. But even as he was driven out of the fort, he knew that the enemy was not going to give him a chance to pull out his magic.

Just when it seemed that he would be overwhelmed, a gust of wind magic smashed into the riders, scattering them. Robin turned to see Ricken atop a horse with Maribelle wielding a healing staff. Both were unharmed.

"Ricken!" the tactician called out with a grin. "Nice work! I'll make sure that Chrom knows about this!" The youth nodded his excitement, but the three of them quickly got back into the skirmish.

Now that he had moment, Robin pulled out his wind tome and joined Ricken in casting a barrage of magic at the riders. At one point, Ricken was hit with a javelin, but Maribelle's staff was sufficient to get him back into play.

Further ahead, Sumia used her Pegasus' superior speed to outflank the wyvern riders so that she and Chrom could confront the enemy's commander. Orton waited until the two of them were within hearing range before urging his dragon to charge at them. "I won't ask for your name!" he shouted. "Only your life!"

"Sorry," Chrom muttered under his breath. "But my life belongs to Ylisse, not a Plegian rat." Sumia said nothing, instead tightening her grip on her lance.

When the man was within striking distance, Sumia suddenly urged her steed slightly upward, and then leaned over in the saddle to thrust her weapon at Orton's surprised face.

The point caught him in the chest to throw him from the saddle into the dust and severely wounding him. Chrom leapt off of the Pegasus and landed lightly next to the dying captain.

Looking up at the prince, he gurgled, "This matters not…" Coughing up blood, he added, "Soon war will be upon… your soil… heh heh." Chrom thought about stabbing the man, but decided against it. He would be dead in less than a moment anyway.

And soon, he realized, there would many more to stab. Many, many more.

After Orton's death, most of the survivors fled the battle. Those that did not leave didn't last for very long, thanks in no small part to Ricken's advanced wind magic.

When it was all over, Lissa rushed up to her friend and threw her arms around her, crying like a small child. "Maribelle!" she sobbed. "Are you hurt?!" The lady in question smiled at her closest friend while returning the embrace.

"Nothing I didn't return twofold, darling," she replied.

"Hey," interjected Robin. "I'm glad you're safe." He smiled warmly as the lady turned to face him with a puzzled air.

"Who…?" she asked. Then it hit her. "Oh. It's you."

Robin rolled his eyes, but the smile stayed put. "Yes, I know you're not especially fond of me," he said. "But it's a relief just the same."

Maribelle sighed and shook her head desolately. "Oh, it's not a question of fondness," she replied. "I am simply protective of Lissa. My treasure is very sensitive, and…" Then she paused. "Wait," she exclaimed. "Am I really justifying myself to a commoner? Gods…"

Shaking her head, she said to Robin, "Yes, well I do… Apologize for being curt. And… And… And you have my thanks for your part in the rescue." She smiled slightly before adding, "There, I said it."

Then she released Lissa long enough to give Robin a polite curtsey. The latter bowed slightly in acknowledgement. Then he left to go speak with Chrom.

He found him with his older sister and Frederick just as he said, "Forgive me, Emm. I acted rashly."

The Exalt shook her head sadly and said, "No, it's all right, Chrom. King Gangrel is at fault here. You were only protecting me."

"The Mad King will be rallying his forces," said Frederick. "If they have not mobilized already. I suggest we make haste back to Ylisstol and discuss our strategy."

"Of course, Frederick," Emmeryn sighed. "It seems war is upon us."

Firming her chin she added, "We must protect the Ylissean people at all costs."

On the way back to the capital, Chrom spent most of his time in Robin and Frederick's company, with the tactician asking many questions about the capital's defensive capabilities. Frederick, who had finally decided to trust Robin, proved to be very helpful in assisting Robin's plans in the case of an attack.

Robin also suggested that the Pegasus Knights bottle up the pass from which they had just fought, as they would be the ones capable of retreating the quickest if things went harry. Chrom and Frederick both agreed to the plan, but they also sent word ahead to bring in a few squads of Wyvern Riders for extra back-up.

This would require moving troops away from the north, but suspicions no longer remained between Ferox and Ylisse, so there was no real need for them to be there.

When Chrom finally had a chance for a break, he heard a familiar voice calling for him. He was in his pavilion when he heard Sumia call out, "Chrom? Where are you? Hel-LOOOOO?"

Walking up to the entrance, he opened the flap and said, "I'm right here, Sumia."

"Oh!" she exclaimed, nearly dropping the plate she was holding in the process. "There you are. Um, so… here."

She extended her hands with the plate, upon which rested a pastry. "I baked you a pie," she said.

"Really?" Chrom was caught more than little off guard. "Well, this is a surprise." Taking a deep breath through his nose, he said, "Mmm! It smells amazing!"

Sumia smiled and said, "You've been working so hard recently, I thought you must be tired. My mother used to bake me rhubarb-and-fiddlehead pie, and it always perked me up."

Chrom took another long look at the pie. "Rhubarb and… Fiddleheads?" he asked slowly. "No mutton?" he asked hopefully. "Or goat? Or bear? I usually prefer a bit of meat in my pies."

If Sumia was insulted, she hid it well. "Absolutely not!" she exclaimed. "Meat is the last thing you need when your body's worn out. A stick of rhubarb will clear your bowels and get you right as rain in no time."

When Chrom simply raised his eyebrows, she added, "That's what my mother used to say anyway- and she was always right!"

Chrom had to chuckle at a similar memory. "Old Nurse Nan used to say the same thing when I was young," he replied.

Looking past Chrom into his tent, she grinned and said, "See? They can't both be wrong. Now eat your pie while I go clean your smallclothes." Chrom gave her a questioning look. Pointing at his cot, she said, "I see quite a pile forming on the far side of your cot there!" Chrom was about to blame Frederick, but Sumia brushed past him and gathered up the garments. Turning back to him she jerked her head at the pastry.

"Well?" she said. "Go on! Don't mind me now- just eat your pie!"

"Er, well, if you insist," Chrom replied, still a little nonplussed by his friend's kindness. Once she had left, he groaned as he sat down. "Gods, I _hate_ rhubarb," he muttered. "But if Sumia thinks it'll make me feel better, I suppose I should force it down."

He took a bite, and was surprised by what he tasted. "Hey this isn't bad," he said to himself. "In fact, it's delicious!" Then he proceeded to wolf it down with great gusto.

"Well," he said when he had finished. "That was about the best pie I ever had."

Shortly after, Sumia returned with his clothes all washed. "Hel-LOOOO?" she called as she walked into the tent. "Chrom? I'm baaaaack!" Seeing that he stood to great her, she exclaimed, "Oh, have you finished already?"

Chrom nodded enthusiastically and said, "I did, and it was amazing!" Seeing her face light up with smile, he added, "Usually rhubarb makes me feel queasy, but not this time! What's your secret?"

Sumia shrugged as if it were no big deal. "Oh, nothing special," she said. "Just a bit of spice here and a pinch of herb there… You can make something taste like anything if you know the tricks."

"Well, Sumia, I'm more than impressed," Chrom said. "You're a true wizard of the kitchen."

The girl smiled at the compliment and replied, "Oh, I'm so glad you liked it. Now then! How about a cup of elderberry tea?"

"Hold on!" Chrom exclaimed. "You made me a pie, so I should be making _you _tea." Moving to his personal stove that was provided for each of the royal family in their tents, he said to himself, "Just let me boil some water here…"

"Oh, Chrom… This is too much. Really." Sumia tried to protest, but Chrom waved her back. While he made the tea, Sumia decided to put away the laundry to stay busy.

But she couldn't help giggling to herself under her breath. _I knew he'd love the pie!_ She thought to herself. _Especially since it took me fifteen tries to get it right…_


	7. Sickle to Sword

Sickle to Sword

In the south of Ylisse, there was a small village. It had no name, and its population was small- but not small enough to escape the regular notice of bandits.

Chrom and the Shepherds had received a request for help from this place several day ago, but the situation at the border of Plegia had taken priority. Now, however, the prince's elite force was marshalled and ready to fight. After all, these bandits could very well be Plegians, although Robin doubted it. It just didn't make sense for them to come this far south.

They had split off from the Pegasus Knights a couple of days before, leaving the Exalt under their care. And this time, Maribelle and Ricken were both welcome to join the active duty group.

They were expecting a greeting from the townsfolk upon their arrival, but not until they had reached the area- a far cry from what they were to find.

A youth- a boy that appeared to be the same age as Ricken- ran up to a surprised Chrom upon their entry into the woods that surrounded the village. "Halp!" he cried. The boy was dressed in ragged, homespun clothing, and he wore a pot atop a mess of brown hair in place of a proper helmet.

Falling on his knees before the prince, he begged, "You gots to help us! I'm beggin' you, milords!"

Chrom hoisted him to his feet while saying, "Slow down. What happened?"

Before the child could give an answer, a rough voice shouted, "Oy! There's the wee piglet!" The Shepherds turned to see a small party of rough-looking characters charging at them with equally rough weapons.

"Great," Chrom muttered. "Bandits."

_As if we didn't have enough to deal with,_ Robin added silently.

"What's this?" the leader called as the thieves took in the new arrivals. Seeing the way that they were dressed, the man decided that they were high-born nobles of some kind. "A little lordling come to watch over his chattel? Haw haw ha-" Then he saw the symbol on Chrom's shoulder, and with a rush of fear, he knew that these were no ordinary warriors. "Aw, damn me! Sh-Shepherds!"

"That's right," Chrom said as he and the others drew their weapons. "So what'll it be? Run and live? Or fight and die?"

The bandit hesitated with a loud grunt. Then they all turned tail and ran.

Chrom turned to the youth that had come to find them, who had been watching the whole affair, goggle-eyed. "Quickly, lad. What happened here?"

"Y-yes, milord!" he stammered. "Right away, milord! Er if it please Your Graciousness."

"Maybe just hold off on the titles for now," Chrom said impatiently. "What's your name?"

"Donny. Er, that is, Donnel. …Your Majestyful." Pointing with the staff he carried, he added, "I live in the village just beyond, sir."

Chrom nodded his approval. "I guess that'll do," he said as Robin moved ahead with Vaike and Virion to get a look at the village the boy had mentioned.

"Now, what happened?"

"That rotten-toothed, pig-stinkin' bandit you just ran off attacked us!" Donnel shouted. Then he remembered who he had just shouted at, and flushed white with fear. "Er, pardon my language, Your Lordliness."

Looking back at the direction of his home, his gaze changed from fearful to sad. "I'm the only one that got away, and even then just barely." Turning back to look at Chrom he finished, "They were roundin' up the others to haul 'em off to a bandit camp…"

When Chrom neglected to respond, but stared off into the trees, Donnel shouted "Please sir! You gots to save them folks! My ma's one of 'em and…" Donnel faltered as tears began to spill from his eyes.

Ever the kindest of the Shepherds, Lissa moved forward to comfort him with a hug, and as he fell on her embrace, he cried, "She's all I got in the world! Please, Your Royal Highness!" And then he sank to the ground.

_Poor boy…_ Lissa thought to herself. _The things he must have seen… How awful. _"There, there," she whispered.

Chrom growled to himself, "This blasted war just seems to spawn more evils by the day." Kneeling beside his sister and the villager, who was slowly composing himself, he said, "All right, Donny. We'll save your ma."

The boy looked up with hope anew in his eyes to see Chrom with a warrior's grin across his face. In the gaze was both pity and a yearning to destroy those that would commit atrocities. "Can you lead us to her?"

"Aw, thank you, milord! Thank you! Just follow me, your Sireness!" The boy was practically jumping up and down with excitement. Then he realized that he had been jostling Lissa, who was still holding on loosely.

The two of them blushed and let go of one another. "S-sorry, yer ladyship," the boy said as he stepped back. "Thanks fer the hug an' all… You know."

Lissa smiled brightly and said, "Lead the way, Donnel! Let's go find your ma, okay?"

"Okay!"

"Ahem," Chrom coughed. They both turned to look at him sheepishly as he added, "Perhaps we can continue this lovely chatter _after_ we've killed the murderers?" Both teenagers were quick to agree.

"And you're sure a' this?" A man named Roddick growled.

"On the grave of my sainted mother," the bandit that had nearly caught Donnel said hurriedly. "I swear it! It was Chrom and his Shepherds, and no mistake!" The man was positively quaking with fear.

But his senior had a different way of viewing things. Looking up at the darkening sky, he said, "Heh heh heh. A fancy lord'll fetch a high ransom from noble folk." As his subordinate looked at him with horror, Roddick laughed, "We'll have the little man squealin' for mercy in no time!"

Before the other could protest that fighting Ylisse's Shepherds was a very bad idea, a new element entered the picture. "We've got nothin' left to take, sirs!" said a woman that was tied up. She had been knocked out earlier and bound with ropes, but now she was regaining consciousness. "Please, let our children go!"

"Quit yer bleatin'!" Roddick roared. Before he could move to silence her, the other brigand said, "Oy, Roddick! I think this cow's the mum of the brat that ran away."

The leader turned on the woman, even more furious than before. Just as he pulled his knife out, he noticed something about her. "Say," he muttered. "I know this one." Thrusting his face close to hers, he spat, "You're the wife of the man what broke my rib last time we were 'ere!"

As he shouted, he unconsciously rubbed his ribcage where he had been struck several weeks before. The woman met his angry gaze levelly and replied, "And you killed him for it, monster! I wish he'd done for you first…"

At first she thought Roddick would strike her. Instead, he pulled back and snorted, "Small wonder the brat's got more brass than brains if you're his mum." Adding a sinister wink, he finished, "Guess we'll see for ourselves when we catch him, eh? Maybe we'll even make ya watch as we gut him!"

Then he laughed, loudly, ignoring the woman's protests. "N-no!" she shouted as she struggled against the ropes. "Please, he's just a boy!" But her cries fell only on hard ears, and she feared for her son's life.

She felt now that her only hope was to pray to the gods that Donnel's death would be swift, and far less painful than his father's had been.

Not so far away now, Donnel had a different plan. "This is where they've taken up camp, your Lordshipness," he said in a whisper. 'This' turned out to be where another village had once been several decades ago, now just a gathering of rubble.

_This is what Plegia did to us in the last war,_ Chrom thought. Tightening his grip on Falchion, he swore to himself, _Never again will this fall upon Ylissean soil._

Realizing that Donnel was waiting for instructions, he forced himself to calm down. "Er… right," he said in a low voice. "Thanks, Donny. Stay close now."

The boy nodded immediately, but then he realized what his prince was saying. "Beg pardon, milord? You don't mean…?" Chrom raised an eyebrow.

"I… I can't fight, sir! I ain't never stuck a pig before!"

To his credit, Chrom was a little embarrassed by the boy's protests. "Oh, sorry. I just assumed…" He paused. "I mean… Look just stay here. You'll be fine."

He turned to go, and Donnel looked around at the Shepherds, all warriors prepared to fulfill their duty. "I wish I was as strong as you sirs and madams!" he said dejectedly. "Kick that scum out single-handed, I would!"

Chrom stopped and turned around. "Then you should fight and grow stronger."

"But I ain't-"

"No man is born a warrior, Donny." The voice was gentle, but the words struck Donnel like hammer blows. Coming from one of- if not _the_- strongest warriors in Ylisse, the words made the boy realize that not even Chrom had been born great. He had worked hard to achieve it.

And that meant that even though he wasn't a high-born noble like some of them, it didn't mean that he wasn't just as capable as they were. He could be more than a protector of his livestock- he could be a defender of his people.

"And farm work makes for fine training- a sickle's not a far cry from a sword, after all," Chrom added, not completely aware of the changes occurring with the young man before him. "Bandit's may be tougher than wheat, but the principle's the same."

Donnel hesitated one last time. Then he looked up and said, "A-all right, milord. As you say, I'm no warrior. But these're my people." With fire in his eyes, the boy said, "I gots to do what I can!"

Chrom nodded in approval, and Donnel felt a warm glow of satisfaction rush through him. He snuck a glance at Lissa, who giggled and nodded as well.

Turning back to Chrom, he was told to go select a weapon. Although Chrom had used the transition of a sword to a sickle, Donnel decided that he was better with a spear- it was more like the Shepherd's staff that he was used to.

Off to the side, Robin was discussing strategy with his leader. "I'm thinking that this time, we don't divide our forces," he murmured, almost to himself. "It's been causing us too many close calls."

"But then their archers can pick all of us off together," Chrom argued.

"I doubt that. I'll put Ricken with Maribelle in the front, so that he can use his wind magic to keep them at bay, and she can heal anyone that gets taken down. Virion should also stay close."

"Not Miriel, too? I thought that her and Virion worked well together."

Robin shook his head. "Miriel- despite her smarts- has yet to master fire magic that can meld with or even survive the winds that Ricken casts. Virion, on the other hand, has a knack for being able to shoot at just the right moment. So Miriel will be with at the rear to watch our backs."

Chrom nodded, understanding the logic now. "And I'll be with Sumia and Donnel while Frederick and Lissa hang back?" To his surprise, his tactician shook his head in a negative motion. "Why not?" he asked.

"Frederick's talents will be better used now that Donnel can protect her," Robin stated. "I'll be teaming up with him now- and the boy'll be safer, too. Donnel will gain confidence from this experience while being able to finish off those that we leave behind. And if something goes wrong, Lissa can heal him."

"I don't want him with my sister," Chrom muttered.

"Why?" Robin challenged. "Because they have a mutual crush? Can you really not stand the thought of your sister being infatuated? Especially with a 'low-born' like me?"

Chrom shook his head. He hated it when Robin was right sometimes.

"Anyways, why do you think I put you with Sumia all the time?" Robin's question caught Chrom off guard.

"What?" he stammered. Robin grinned in response. ""Don't think I don't notice the way you two treat each other- she's totally devoted to you, and you're unbelievably patient with her."

To that, Chrom had no response but to flush deep red.

"Besides," Robin added. "If Donny really does like Lissa, he'll fight that much harder to protect her." Then he smiled and had to stifle a laugh. "Or at the least, he'll fight to show off to her." Then, even Chrom had to laugh.

By the time that the moon had been in the heavens for an hour, the Shepherds were ready. "Everyone in place?" Chrom called softly.

Beside him, Donnel swallowed hard and said, "R-ready!" Then he swallowed again, and wished for something to drink. His throat felt incredibly dry. To himself, he whispered, "Fight and get stronger, he says… Guess it won't hurt to try."

Then a terrible thought occurred to him. "I sure hope I don't get in the way!" he groaned hoarsely. "Gosh, that would be just awful…" Lissa gave his arm an encouraging squeeze, and Donnel felt his heartbeat accelerate.

Moving like a gathering of silent wraiths, the Shepherds crept towards the firelight cast by the bandit's camp. They were not detected until Virion had already shot two of them- the first through the throat, so that he could only emit a low gurgle.

However, when he attempted the same thing with the second sentry, the man moved to the left at the last second, and the arrow took him in the shoulder, producing an ear-splitting screech that could have come from a little girl.

Chrom and Robin only glared at their archer for a second before ordering their soldiers to charge. Letting out a collective yell, the Shepherds surged forwards, startling both the prisoners and their captors.

Frederick, Robin, Chrom, and Sumia led the charge while the others stayed back a bit to free the prisoners. But for the most part, they stayed as a cohesive unit, unlike their previous battles.

As he had predicted, this made it much easier for Maribelle and Lissa to perform their duties as healers. The only drawback was that the Shepherds were moving more slowly than they had before- but in this case, that was okay.

Donnel was hesitant at first to engage any of the bandits. But when one of them nearly hit Stahl with an axe, he thrust his spear and stabbed the criminal with deadly force. Recognizing him as the one that had been chasing him, he spat, "This little piggy's learned some new tricks!"

This seemed to invigorate him, for he began moving faster and with more sure footing after that. Looking back, Robin nodded at the lad before turning to Chrom and giving him a sly wink. The latter affected not to notice.

Finally, after nearly an hour of hard fighting, Chrom and Sumia reached Roddick while the others stayed behind to round up the stragglers. They found that Roddick had backed himself against the wall of one of the ruined houses with a dark expression on his face. "Time them castle whelps learned what us wild-born men can do!" he seemed to snarl.

Then he swung his axe at Chrom, who had just dismounted from Sumia's mount. The prince caught the blade on Falchion and deflected it to the side. After that, Roddick rained a series of heavy blows, but they quickly grew ragged, as if the cutthroat wasn't used to wielding his axe for any length of time.

_He's probably used to bringing it down on people that have already been exhausted by his men,_ Chrom thought to himself. Then, locking blades with his enemy, Chrom shoved him back with a strength that showed that he had hardly been trying.

Roddick scrambled backwards as fast as he could, but Chrom caught up to him easily, and Sumia's Pegasus blocked the remains of the entrance. "This is all that you 'wild-born' are capable of?" Chrom spat with scorn in his voice.

"Gahaugh!" Roddick screamed as the warrior stabbed him in the stomach. "Nngh… This ain't… where…" Then the bandit leader died. Chrom withdrew his sword and walked outside with a sigh.

But whether it was from relief or sadness, Sumia could not tell.

Later, when all of the bandits had been killed or rounded up, Donnel ran up to Chrom with a proud smile. "We did it!" he exclaimed. "We're rid of them bandits for good and all!" The Prince of Ylisse nodded and agreed with the young lad. "A worthy first victory, Donny. You fought well."

Suddenly, something caught Donnel's eye behind Chrom, for he rushed past him into the arms of a rather portly woman, who was amongst the other newly liberated prisoners. "Ma!" he cried. "Ma, it's me!" She immediately embraced her son while responding, "Oh, Donny! Thank goodness you're safe!"

Pulling back a bit, she added, "I was worried near to death, boy!"

Only after she had embraced her son for another moment did she seemed to notice Chrom for the first time. She gave a slight curtsy and said, "I can't thank you enough for savin' my son and our village, milord."

Looking over at Donnel, she scowled slightly and scolded him, "Donny! Where are your manners?! Take a knee and thank His Lordliness!" _Well now I know who taught him how to address royalty,_ Chrom thought with a trace of amusement.

Donnel grinned sheepishly and knelt as his mother had commanded. "Er, I can't begin to repay all what you done for us, sir. Th-thank you!" The boy was slightly hesitant in the presence of his mother, Chrom noticed.

"You led the charge, Donny," he said with a sly wink that the boy's mother couldn't see. "We just picked off the stragglers. Hone your potential and use it to keep this village safe." Then he turned to leave.

But Donnel's voice stopped him before he did. "W-wait! Please!"

Chrom turned around with an eyebrow raised. "Something wrong?" he asked.

"I have a request, sir. If it please Your Graceliness…" Taking a deep breath, Donnel steeled his nerves before blurting, "Take me with you, milord. Lemme be a Shepherd like you! I'm good with livestock, I am! Please, sir!"

As Chrom expected, Donnel's well-meaning mother cut in, leading him to hide a small smile. _So Robin was right- again, _he thought to himself. "Hush now, you fool boy!" the mother scolded with a frown.

But Donnel shook his head. His heart was set, and only one person could deny him now. "I want to hone my… whatever he said," he said patiently. "I want to keep this place safe!

"I never thought I was good for nothin' more than shovelin' dirt… But milord showed me there's more I can do. More I needs to be doing!" There was fire in his eyes, and Chrom knew that Donnel was in earnest.

"You needs be knowin' your place boy!" the mother said, aghast. _He wins one fight against them bandits!_ She thought to herself. _And he thinks he's good enough fer the Ylissean Shepherds! Had he not just done all that, I'd tan his backside, here and now!_

"A farmhand's no fit for a royal-"

"Actually, we'd be thrilled to have him." Chrom's interruption stopped Donnel's mother in mid-thought. The prince continued, "The Shepherds need every good man we can find, and you son fought bravely."

The mother finally found her tongue well enough to say, "Y-you're very kind to say as much, Your Lordshipness, but…" Then she sighed heavily, knowing what was coming next. Knowing that it was time to let go.

Turning to her son, her gaze softened, and she said, "Well, you're a grown man now, Donny. I s'pose you can make up your own mind."

"Aw, ma…" Seeing her sadness, he pulled her into an embrace once again. Looking at the two of them, Chrom could not help feel a pang of jealousy in his soul. His mother had died delivering Lissa, and he barely remembered her. As for his father…

Chrom shook his head to cast the dark thoughts away. Lissa and Emmeryn were family enough, and that's what counted.

He returned his attention to the conversation just in time to hear the mother say, "You just come home safe, love. I'll see that the village is still standin' when you return a hero."

Smiling at her son, she gave him gentle shove towards Chrom. "Well?! Off with you then! Glory's waitin', boy!" As the two warriors walked away, Donnel looked back long enough to smile and say, "I ain't fightin' for glory, Ma! I'm fightin' for you! But if I do find some glory, I'll be sure to bring it home for you!"

Then they were gone, and the Shepherds headed for home with their newest member. And as his mother watched him go, she whispered, "Just some home alive, Donnel."

Later that night, once Donnel had settled into the tent that would be sharing that night with Robin, he lay back and wondered about what his new life would be like. He was alone due to Robin's nightly meeting with his commander, so he was able to relax in silence.

That is, until Lissa threw open the entrance tent flap and cried, "Ah ha! I've been looking for you, Donny." "Huh?" Donnel wondered as he moved to the entrance as well.

"Did you need me for something, Yer Gracefulship?"

"No titles!" Lissa replied. "We've talked about this before. I want you to think of me as your older sister."

"I know, Yer Worshipful… er, Miss Lissa," he stuttered. Lissa _had_ told him as much when they had sat together for dinner that night. And yet… "It just feels so darn weird!"

"Well, get used to it," Lissa said with a wink. "You're one of the precious few allies younger than me, you know? I have to milk this! Anyway, feel free to come ask for help aaaaaanytime!"

"But yer the Princess of Ylisse, Miss Lissa!" he protested.

"Then consider it a royal order. And drop the 'miss' stuff!"

"Y-yes, ma'am!"

Lissa looked at him with a raised eyebrow for several seconds before sighing heavily. "Well, I suppose that'll do for now," she said. Then she grinned widely. "Hee, this is great! I always wanted a little brother to order around!"

"Gosh!" Donnel blushed. "I'm honored, I guess."

"And what can your big sister do for you? Anything at all, just say the word." Lissa smiled warmly as she said it.

Donnel fidgeted and said, "Er… I'm frightful sorry to dash your hopes'n all, but I can't think'a nothin' right now." Suddenly, the boy grew very pale, and he hurried to take his leave.

"L-lemme work on it. Bye!" Then he shut his tent entrance.

"Wha?" Lissa was confused. Then she became upset. "Hey! Get back here!" But Donnel refused to come out, and eventually Lissa left him in peace.

She ran into Chrom and Robin after a few feet, and she bade them good night, to which they both wished her well.

Once she was out of earshot, Robin muttered to Chrom, "I still think that it was unnecessary for you to draw Falchion even partway to send that poor boy an 'I'll-be-keeping-an-eye-on-you' message."

Chrom grinned wolfishly in response.


	8. Champions of Yore, Part the First

Champions of Yore, Part the First

The Shepherds took one last detour on their way back home, mostly upon Robin's request. He explained to Chrom that he had recently read about a strange place in southernmost part of Ylisse where it was rumored that a hidden clan of warriors existed.

The text he had read was old, but if it were true, then the warriors that lived therein constantly yearned for battle, and they would fight for whomever summoned their aid first. If they truly did exist, Robin was determined to recruit them before anyone from Plegia could.

They had to go into a forest that the common folk of Ylisse believed was inhabited by the gods, but Robin was not to be denied.

They passed through the oldest part of the forest, where the trees grew proud and strong before stumbling across what appeared to the remnants of an ancient gate to a fortress. But the fortress had long fallen, and all that was left was crumbling stone.

"I guess that book was older than your reckoning," said Chrom. But Robin shook his head in disagreement.

"I'm not done looking. Just because the palace has fallen does not mean that the people are gone, too."

And so they continued. After they passed the last of the castle ruins, they found themselves looking across a series of plains, littered with scores of castles and villages as far as the eye could see.

Everyone stood on a rise, transfixed by the strangeness of it all. Some of the Shepherds began to mutter amongst themselves, wondering what kind of strange power was at work here. Some began to worry that it might be some kind of Risen magic.

_This makes no sense,_ Robin thought. _According to the maps I've studied, we should be able to see the ocean by this point. And the plains _should_ be a continuation of the forest we just came through._ "Where are we?" he asked aloud. Turning to his leader, he added, "Chrom, do you know this place?"

Not to his surprise, Chrom said, "No." Robin nodded to himself. He had thought as much- whatever this place was, it was not a part of Ylisse.

"But look there," Chrom said as he pointed at one of the villages in the distance. "Soldiers, readying for battle…" The prince frowned, and then he spoke in a voice almost too soft for Robin to hear. "Hmm… I can't quite explain it, but there's something… strange about them…"

The sound of an old man's heavy breathing caught Chrom's attention, and he turned to see an old mage, doubled over on his knees, gasping for breath. When he looked up, he gasped, "Warriors? Warriors from afar?!" His face transformed from one of exhaustion to one of relief. "Oh, thank the gods!" he wheezed. "Help… help actually came!"

Then he straightened himself and tried to recover, "Er, I mean… of course it came! It is all… as I have foreseen! Um, yes." Finally managing to retain his breath somewhat regularly, the old man said, "Ahem. Ho there, warriors… Well… Well met… I'm sorry… Once I saw you… I ran all… the way here…"

Looking amongst their party hopefully, he added with a lopsided grin, "Perhaps… you've a lovely lady healer that might help… and old man catch his breath?" Then the smile cleared, and he shook his head with renewed vigor. "Gah, no! Never mind that! It's soldiers I need now… Strong ones! And plenty of them!"

"Whoa now, slow down there, old-timer," Chrom cut him off. "Why don't we start with who you are?"

"They call me Old Hubba. Just a humble fortune-teller living here in the Outrealms…" The man shook his head again. "But that's not important right now! We haven't much time! Now please, O mighty slayer- you must save this weak old man from yonder army!"

"Why?" Chrom refused to budge. "Who are they?"

Old Hubba harrumphed and snapped, "They are Einherjar! Phantoms of a sort…" Chrom paled slightly, and he grasped Falchion tightly. "You mean… ghosts?"

Old Hubba shook his head again, becoming increasingly impatient. Robin clicked his fingers four times, his signal to Chrom that there were potentially hostile forces headed their way. "No time to explain all that!" Old Hubba said. "The important thing is that they are out for blood! _My_ blood in fact. The blood inside of me! Which is where I would like it to stay."

Chrom could see that the old man was on the verge of having a mental breakdown. "Fear not, Old Hubba," he said. "We will join you and help fight off these phant-" "Oh yes, about that," Old Hubba interrupted. "I have this trick knee, you see, and I just ran all the way here. Also, my eyesight's horrible, just horrible."

After a silent moment he added, "Did I mention my knee?" Chrom glared at him in response. "In any case, I'd better sit this one out. Oh, but I can help with support!"

He added the last part as Chrom was on the verge of turning around and telling his Shepherds to clear out. The prince turned around with a hesitantly raised eyebrow.

"I'll watch behind the lady soldiers and watch their backsides- er, their backs!" Just before Chrom drew back his fist to throw a punch and the perverted old man, Hubba added, "And here, I'll summon a few Einherjar of my own to fight beside you!"

This stopped Chrom cold, and caught Robin's attention. "Wait, you're going to do what now?" Chrom was confused. But the old fortuneteller wasn't listening.

Instead, he pulled a large, intricately decorated card from his bag and began to chant, "Here me, O ruler of ancient Altea and true lord of the Seven Realms… I summon thee, Marth, the Hero-King! Come forth and grant us your protection!"

And image appeared on the card, but it also began glowing, making it rather unclear as to what exactly was going on. Then the card flashed blindingly and when the glow cleared, there stood a figure wrapped in a blue aura that exuded power and wisdom.

"As you wish," he said. "I will answer your call."

The figure himself was dressed nearly identical to another that the Shepherds knew, minus his mask. But in this case, there was no doubt who this was. This was- "Marth?" Chrom sputtered. "As in _the _Marth? What in the blazes is going on?!"

Then there was no more time to discuss it, not if they all wanted to live. "Shepherds!" Robin cried. "Follow me! To the villages!" And the group ran as fast as they could to outdistance their opponents.

When they finally stopped running, it was among a small cluster of buildings, while the Einherjar took up a position at the town's fortress. _Damn it!_ Robin thought. _I should have thought of that!_

Then, all around them, the ground began to rumble, and water began to flow from the ground itself, all around the town. The Shepherds seemed to be the only ones taken aback by the fact that the small settlement was now surrounded by water, and had essentially become a small island. The villagers did nothing other than take cover in their homes, shouting about a battle beginning again.

"This always happens whenever the Einherjar prepare to battle," said Hubba. "It's the land's way of keeping the damage done to a minimum."

"The land is alive?" Robin was shocked.

"Mhmm, and lovely is she, Mother Earth!" Old Hubba laughed to himself. Robin and Chrom decided that the old man was crazy.

The leader of the Einherjar, a female warrior with light blue hair stepped forward and announced, "I am Eirika of Renais, sister to prince Ephraim."

"Oh ho!" Hubba cried. "Of the twin prince and princess of Magvelian lore? I'd heard she was a fair maid, but she rates good to great on Hubba's scale!"

"I beg your pardon?! What insolence!" the princess shouted. "I suppose I should expect as much from the brigands savaging this kingdom. Well, no longer! I've come here to put an end to it- and to you!"

"Wait, good princess!" Chrom called out. "You are mistaken. We are not brigands. We are not even of this realm. We come from-"

"You're wasting your breath, boy," Hubba muttered. "The Einherjar are weapons in human form. They can't be reasoned wi-"

"You are not brigands?" The voice belonged to Eirika. "My sincere apologies. Perhaps I was hasty in my judgment."

Hubba was no less than stunned. "Huh? She actually listened to you? But how can that be?" After a brief moment of consideration, Hubba brightened and said, "Ah, of course! Legend has it that Eirika was quite naïve. Gullible, even. She led a sheltered life as a princess. So sweet and innocent and mmm…"

Unfortunately, the Shepherds weren't the only ones to hear him. "Gullible, am I?" Eirika thundered. "You believe you have tricked me with some deception?! Just as I thought: you _are_ brigands! Prepare to die!"

When the Shepherds all glared at Hubba- with the exception of Virion and Vaike, who did not see why all of them were so upset- he protested, "There now, see? These Einherjar are not rational beings… You have no choice but to fight them! No matter how delectable they might appear…"

"Oh gods…" Chrom growled under his breath. At that moment, the only person he wanted to fight was Old Hubba. But he was just an old man, and no matter how annoying he might be, Chrom could not attack him without a valid reason.

_May the gods help him if he ever does give me a reason to kill him,_ he thought as he prepared to engage the mysterious new enemy. As he mounted up behind Sumia, he noticed Prince Marth standing in between him and Robin, awaiting orders.

"If it's all right," he said to the figure of legend. "Might I ask you something?"

"What is it, sir?"

"Do you realize what you are? Where you came from, I mean?"

"I am Prince Marth of Altea."

Chrom shook his head as he tried to explain, "No, I don't mean who you were. I mean…"

Marth cocked his head slightly at the Prince of Ylisse. "I fear the significance of your question eludes me."

"Right…" Chrom sighed. "Sorry. Never mind. It was a silly thing to ask."

To his surprise, Marth smiled and said, "Not at all." Then Robin called him over, and Marth moved to obey.

"He doesn't seem to realize that he's been summoned from the card," he said to Sumia.

The girl shrugged and replied, "I wouldn't know a thing about these Einherjar. I can barely do flower petal fortunes." Chrom grunted, and they spoke no more of the unsettling discovery that they had made in this strange land.

Off to the side, Lissa was speaking to the summoned Einherjar of Alm, another hero called forth from ages past. "Hmm…" he said. "What have we here?"

Uh… I dunno," Lissa replied. "What do we have?"

"I'm just surprised to see women fighting for your army." Alm shrugged slightly.

Lissa scowled and replied quite pithily, "I'm pretty sure the women in my army would take offense to that!" Before Alm could placate her, she added, "I ate a bear once, you know. With my teeth!"

The Einherjar shook his head and said, "I'm not mocking you. One of my closest comrades is a woman. They say women have a high resistance to magic."

"Maybe chauvinism is just highly flammable."

"Ha!" the conjured warrior chuckled. "I will keep that in mind."

Robin had been told by the old man that the Einherjar would respond to his command alone, since he was the small army's recognized tactician. When Robin asked him why they couldn't also take orders from Chrom, Hubba said, "They're not human, remember boy? They're rather single-minded."

And so Hubba had summoned Alm, who Robin directed to take care of Lissa and Donnel, as both of them were still rather inexperienced. Robin was somewhat surprised when the man offered no resistance or complaints at all, but did as he was instructed immediately.

Then, Hubba summoned one last hero: Ike, the mightiest sellsword that ever lived. He immediately struck up a conversation with Robin, startling the tactician. He wondered how much humanity these human-weapons possessed.

"Are you the tactician?" Ike asked. "Your army is visiting from another world, isn't it?"

"You're very perceptive."

Ike nodded his acknowledgement before asking, "Do your people fight more or less the same as we do?"

"As far as I can tell, yes."

"Good," said the tall warrior as he swung his heavy blade experimentally. "Shouldn't be too difficult for me to adapt, then. But if my style gets in your way, don't be afraid to say so."

Robin nodded his thanks and said, "I won't. Thank you."

The tactician directed Ike to fight alongside Marth at the forefront of the battle. Again, the man did as he was told immediately. _When I read about an ancient warrior race hiding within the woods, I never imagined that we would find anything like this!_

Setting aside his astonishment, Robin began calling out his orders. "Form up your pairs! Riders to the front, and all footmen stay close behind! Archers and mages, aim high as to not hit your comrades! Lissa and Maribelle, hang back at the rear of the column!"

Before Sumia could take off, Robin grasped her arm to tell her, "You and Chrom, get out over the water. I want you to counter any other Pegasi that they sent at us." Giving the Pegasus a gentle rub on the nose, he nodded his permission for them to take off.

Moving quickly, he joined Marth and Ike, whom were about to engage the first of their attackers. "I wish you no harm," said the Hero-King. "Please stand down before this gets out of hand." The girl's only response was to cast a dark magic spell at him, wounding him heavily.

But a touch of Lissa's staff made him right as rain. He stood tall and regal as he could manage and said, "We must find a way to end this struggle."

Just then, Alm, who had been staying near Lissa as he was commanded, darted forward to attack the spellcaster. "You're not the strongest woman I know," he said. "But I'd sooner not take any chances." The he cut her down, and she dissolved into a blue mist that reminded Robin of a cleaner version of a Risen's death.

_Are the Risen perhaps failed Einherjar?_ Robin wondered briefly. Then he set the thought aside as he plucked his fire tome from his pocket. The words on the pages sprang to life at his command and surrounded his body as he called upon the power of fire. A matching set of runes swirled around his target, a charging sword maiden. As soon as the runes were completely matched, the woman was consumed by a pillar of fire, yet she did not cry out.

"Wow," said Lissa. "I've never seen you use that spell before!" Robin grinned at Lissa's praise as he explained, "Yes that was called Elfire magic. El magic is a type that springs around the target instead of launching from the caster."

Their conversation was cut short as the lady burst forth from the flames, burned, but still capable of combat. "What was that you said about women being resistant to magic?" Lissa asked aside to Alm.

Ike shook his head and said, "Woman or man, if you stand against me here, I have to cut you down." And then with startling swiftness and brutality, he did just that.

Meanwhile, over the magical waters, Chrom and Sumia were closing in on a woman that claimed to be Elincia, a royal woman from an entirely different age than Eirika. "I have a kingdom of my own!" she cried. "And I will not allow brigands to ravish this one!"

"When all is said and done here, I never want to have a history lesson again," Chrom muttered sourly.

Sumia turned in the saddle, both to look at Chrom, and to see their enemy gaining on them. "I don't know if that's necessary, Captain," she called to be heard above the rushing wind. "Maybe we could learn something from these Einherjar!"

"I-" Chrom's reply was lost in a flurry of blows, wounds, and curses. When they finally managed to down the other rider, the Pegasus Sumia was riding needed a rest. The two of them landed a few paces away from Eirika, who drew her sword immediately.

Chrom grumbled something under his breath as he dismounted. "Back me up if I need it," he told the girl. Strangely, Eirika did not attack as quickly as she had drawn her sword.

Instead, she asked him, "So you really are brigands. Why did you lie to me, sir?" Then she shook her head and scowled. "I will not stand for being deceived!"

"How can I deceive you if I can't get a word in edgewise?" Chrom retorted. "But if it's a fight you want, I can deliver in spades." Then he moved in for the attack.

Five times they exchanged blows. The first one was a thrust from Chrom that Eirika deflected. When he spun around to face her again, she attempted to cut his head off, which he blocked just in time. Then he went for a cut at her hamstrings, which she nimbly leapt over. Then they exchanged two ferocious blows, edge-on-edge, until Eirika's blade snapped.

The woman appeared stunned- then Chrom stabbed her, and she began to fade into blue mist. "No…" she gasped. "I've never lost to anyone… besides my… brother…" Then she faded out of existence.

After much difficulty and hard fighting, Robin managed to find the tactician Einherjar, Celica. Robin took great interest in her, as he had read about her magical prowess, especially concerning the wind.

"The brigand's tactician," she said as he approached her, surprising him with his intuitiveness. "Why have you attacked us without provocation?"

"You're asking me? It's that old coot's fault that we're even- Ugh, never mind." Robin decided that there was no reasoning with the shade at this point, no matter how intelligent she might be.

"If you will not state your motives, then I must take that as an admission of guilt." Preparing her tome, she cried, "Now open your arms, sir, and welcome justice's embrace!" The words of her tome began to swirl about as she began to cast her ancient wind magic.

But as fast as she was, Robin's speed and skill had been growing with the sword under Frederick's guidance. He knew that she would likely be strong enough to counter any of his magic, so he rushed with his sword.

Her jaw went slack as she realized that he had abandoned the mage's duel, and technically cheated. "I…" she gasped. "I wasn't supposed to lose…" Yet lost she had, and she faded away, just like all the others had before her.

And the battle against the past was over.

"Magnificent!" cried Old Hubba. "Thanks to you, that's a few more Einherjar returned to me." And he showed them several cards with the images of the warriors that they had spent the past few hours fighting.

"You're all so strong and skilled," he continued. "Er, not that it's any surprise to _me_, mind. It is just as I have foreseed. Foreseen! Er… _Had_ foreseen? Foresaw?" He cleared his throat. "It's just like I predicted!"

"Look," Chrom growled, impatient to get answers from the old man. "Let's 'pretend' you've been spouting nothing but gibberish and start over. Okay? Now take a deep breath, and try explaining exactly what's going on here. Slowly."

"Ah, yes, of course," Hubba agreed. "Right then… So these calling cards that summon the Einherjar… they're a sort of family heirloom. My ancestors have guarded them since… well, as long as anyone can remember.

"Each card contains a record of one of history's most valiant and glorious heroes. They do not conjure up the actual person, of course. That would be just silly! It's more akin to… a mirror image, of sorts. A reflection of the man or woman they were."

Chrom frowned, one detail still nagging at him. "But if they've been in your family for ages, why would they attack you?"

"Because they were stolen from me! Stolen by an evil temptress! Er, sorceress!" Letting out a deep sigh, Hubba explained, "The Einherjar will do the bidding of whoever summons them, you see…

"In the wrong hands, they could level entire nations! Or conquer all the Outrealms! I am but one frail, weak, slightly sleepy old man… You must help me get them back!"

"Hmm…" Chrom mused. _The Outrealms…_ he thought. _Is that where we are?_

"With all due respect, milord," said Frederick, who had yet to add his voice to the conversation. "I would remind you we have our own campaign to fight…"

"Yes, Frederick, I know. And that must remain our top priority."

"Your own campaign?" Hubba asked. The he tried to cover his lapse by exclaiming, "I mean, oh yes, of course! Know all about it. Foretelled it years ago, in fact. Er, foretold? Have foret-"

"I get it!" Chrom snapped. "In that case, I'm sure you can understand why we cannot-"

"WAIT, I'M HAVING A VISION!" Hubba roared. "It's… It's a vision of the future! And… you're there! You and your whole party!"

"Oh gods, here we go…"

"SHHH! You'll disrupt the vision! It looks like… yes, you helped me get all my cards back!" Hubba grinned crookedly. "You look sooo happy that you did the decent thing and saved the Outrealms… Oh, and you were victorious in, uh, whatever it was in your world, too!

"But ONLY because I lent you heroes from the cards you rescued for me! Amazing!"

At this, Chrom finally gave over. "Heh… All right, old-timer, you can spare us the theatrics… If helping you means legendary soldiers will take up our cause, we'll do it."

"Huzzah!" cried Hubba. "Ho, ho, you've made this tired and bent but still attractive old man very happy. Oh and there's no hurry getting back all my cards, by the way. At least, not as you perceive time. It flows differently in the Outrealms, you know."

_Huh. No wonder the atmosphere feels so different,_ Robin thought silently.

"You can cross back and forth from here to your world as it suits you. So just go and abandon me whenever you please… like an old shoe… cold and alone…"

Chrom and the other rolled their eyes and did not respond with words. But then Hubba brightened up. "Oh!" he exclaimed. "Heh, yes, I almost forgot… Here's your reward for helping me just now. It's the 'Hero-King Marth' card. You seemed to work well together."

Turning to Robin, the old man handed the weapon to him. "I'll entrust it to your tactician. I hope he'll be of great help to you!" Then, the self-proclaimed 'seer' turned on his heel and walked away, whistling happily to himself.

The Shepherds took advantage of this and left the Outrealms as quickly as they could. Even once they had passed through the ruins, they did not stop until it was time to set up camp.

When they did, Robin retreated to his tent for some privacy. Therein, he summoned the legendary Marth. "Well met, milord," he said in a friendly tone. "The old one bade me accompany you, if you feel I can be of service. Perhaps you have heard of me?"

"Only from scraps of stories, your highness," Robin replied.

Marth nodded, and asked if he might explain himself a bit more. When Robin gave his permission, the ghost said, "I am Marth, heir to a kingdom called Altea. Some call me the Hero-King, but perhaps you should temper your expectations. I'm just a man who was inspired to fight by the best of his comrades."

Then a thought seemed to occur to him, for he cocked his head and was silent for a moment. The he said: "What is your name?"

The tactician told him. "Robin? A pleasure," the shade said. "May I ask one more question?" Robin nodded his assent, still somewhat in awe of the man sitting before him.

"As a tactician, you must take a wider view and direct your comrades accordingly. But what if you had to choose between a narrow victory or saving a fallen comrade? Would you out victory for all above the life of one?"

Robin didn't even have to think about the question- he had asked himself the same question before. "No," he said. "I will never sacrifice a friend for the sake of a victory."

"I see. You are a kind man. I would like to think we are similar." Robin flushed slightly at the hero's praise.

"My own advisor, Jagen, would often caution me against yielding to sentiment," the ghost continued. "I know he was right, but it never felt proper to leave soldiers behind. I do not want to pay for my victories with the lives of my subjects and friends.

"Would you tell me more about yourself, Robin? As comrades-in-arms, I would know all I can of you and your plight." So for the next hour or so, Robin sat and talked with the Hero-King until his curiosity was satisfied.

"Thank you, Robin." After a brief hesitation on the Einherjar's part, he added, "We've only just met, but I already feel a special bond between us. When your warring is done, you must let me take you to Altea. I'm certain my knights and comrades would take to you as well."

Robin was about to explain that what he was proposing was impossible, but then he remembered Chrom's conversation with the man. So he simply nodded and said nothing.


	9. Forseer

Foreseer

Chrom and the others reached Ylisstol about a week after their adventures in the Outrealms. After more than two weeks of hard marching, the Shepherds were exhausted. Many of them immediately headed for the baths, or straight to their bunks. Even Stahl, who would normally go for food above all else, was eager for a proper bed.

To their relief, Ylisse had thus far remained at peace, with no sign of attack from Plegia. Nonetheless, it was a worry at the back of Chrom and Robin's minds, for they both knew that it was only matter of time.

And so Robin continued his studies on battle tactics, even as Chrom went to report their adventures to his sister. He set up a board with wooden game pieces to represent soldiers, and divided them into two separate forces.

Virion happened to walk by as he heard Robin murmuring, "So if the cavaliers spread out in a fan…" He moved several of the pieces. "And the Pegasus Knights sweep in from the flank…"

"Goodness, I can practically see the smoke rising from your head." Robin was startled to see the Valmese nobleman leaning in his doorway. The man smiled and said, "Whatever could have you working at such a fevered tilt?"

Robin gestured for Virion to come in as he replied, "I'm practicing strategies and scenarios on this game board. After a hundred forced marches, these pieces are still ready for more. It saves me from running everyone ragged with training exercises."

Virion looked at the board intensely before nodding his approval. "How very clever," he remarked. "You even carved little enemy forces for them to fight. I'm impressed. And that doesn't happen often… with other people, I mean."

Robin shook his head and said, "Well, as long as I control friend and foe alike, it's not as effective as I'd prefer. After all, I can't plan for the unexpected when I know all the moves ahead of time."

A mischievous smile crept over Virion's face as he said, "Then permit me to be your opponent." When Robin raised an eyebrow in disbelief, Virion exclaimed, "I shall strike with the nobility of the lion and defend with the grace of the swan!"

"Because swans are… good defenders?" Robin felt very confused. "Er, never mind. I accept. So then. We'll take turns moving units until one of us claims the other's commander. Agreed?"

"Agreed and agreed again!" Virion said as he took a seat opposite from Robin. "Oh, what fun! Begin, please. By all means."

Less than half an hour later, Robin was regretting his choices. "Hold!" he cried. "I need to retract my last move."

"Ha ha!" Virion scoffed. "Were that all enemy generals so generous! But alas, this is war." He moved one of his pieces and added, "Checkmate, my good sir."

"Blast!" Robin was frustrated and stunned. He had won several battles in real life, so why could he not defeat Virion in a simple game? "I hate to admit it, but I am well and truly beaten."

"Oh ho! I told you I was both a lion and a swan, did I not?"

"More like a chicken and the far end of a horse! I'm no noble lord, but your strategy wasn't exactly what I'd call honorable."

"Heavens!" Virion feigned insult. "Aren't we plainspoken."

Robin shook his head and extended his hand, despite his frustration. "Still, I appreciate the practice," he said. "Thank you, Virion."

"If you wish me to unleash my dishonorable strategies again, you have but to ask."

Robin was walking towards the dining hall for a late meal when he spotted Chrom, staring blankly into space while chewing on a sweet. Concerned, Robin went over to his friend.

"Chrom? What are you doing out so late?"

Chrom turned with a slight start of surprise to greet his tactician. "Oh, hi, Robin," he said quietly. "Just… dueling with some unpleasant thoughts." Straightening himself, he said in a more confident tone, "Tomorrow we march to Regan Ferox to request additional soldiers. But there's something you should know first."

Chrom seemed to sag once again as he said, "Not everything Gangrel said was a lie." When Robin reacted with surprise, Chrom explained, "The last Exalt, my father, waged war on Plegia for many years. The violence… It was a brutal campaign, ending only with his death fifteen years ago.

"Plegia rightfully remembers their suffering, but his war was no kinder to his own people. As the fighting dragged on, our army became more and more diminished. Farmers who could barely wield a pitchfork were conscripted and sent to their deaths. Soon, there was no food at all, and the kingdom began to collapse.

"I was young, but I remember those dark times… I know how they affected Emmeryn."

For a few moments, Robin was speechless. Finally, he managed to say, "Such an experience would change anyone."

"Indeed. When our father died before her tenth year, he left her quite the legacy… Plegia's desire for vengeance… Our own people's unbridled rage…

"My sister became a target for blame from all sides. Her own subjects began to hurl insults- and stones. She still bares the scar from one…" At the memories, Chrom's face tightened angrily, but quickly relaxed.

"But she never let them see her pain," he continued. "Only Lissa and I understood."

Robin gazed at his captain with new sympathy and said, "It must have been so hard."

"I cannot claim to know how she does it, Robin. I could never greet such hostility with warmth and patience. While our people mocked and vilified her, she reached out and healed them. She brought soldiers home to their families. She ended the war.

"And when Ylisse's spirit was mended and the people 'forgave' her?" His tone was scornful. "She never resented them for it. She represents the best of the halidom- the part most worth protecting. She _is_ peace.

"But some men would take advantage of that. Men like King Gangrel. The day he understands peace will be the day death gives it to him." After a moment, he gave a soft, humorless chuckle. "So perhaps I must be death's agent. Emmeryn would never order him to be killed, nor would I wish her to."

Before Robin could say anything in response, a not-unfamiliar voice interrupted him. "Well spoken, sir." The two turned to see the masked warrior not too far from them. Neither of them had the inkling of an idea that he was there.

"Marth…" Chrom breathed. The mysterious figure stepped a few paces closer and said, "Good evening to you."

"How did you get in here?" Chrom demanded.

"The cleft in the castle wall," Marth replied, with the trace of a smile. "Behind the maple grove."

"There?" Chrom asked, shocked. "But how would you…? Ugh."

"You know the place, Chrom?" Robin inquired.

"Yes. I bashed in part of the wall while training the Shepherds. It's only a small hole, and I thought it well concealed, but…" He shook his head in exasperation.

"Your secret is safe with me," Marth assured him. "I come here only to warn you."

"Warn us?"

"The Exalt's life is in danger." Marth's tone was as flat and cold as his blade.

"What, Emmeryn?" Chrom replied, the disbelief clear in his voice. "That's absurd. She's guarded at all hours."

But Marth was not swayed. "What if… What if I told you I have seen the future? Would you believe me? A future where Emmeryn is killed. Here. Tonight."

"Seen the future? Have you lost your wits?" Both Chrom and Robin were skeptical.

"Yes," Marth said, unsurprised. "I expected you wouldn't believe me. So allow me to prove it!" Then he drew his blade. Chrom put his hand on Falchion, unsure of what was about to occur.

Seeing his reaction, Marth cocked his head and said, "I'm about to save your life… From him." And he looked at a bush. When nothing happened for a second, Chrom decided that the masked man was crazy.

Then a dark-clothed figure burst out of the shrub, and Marth tossed his sword up in the air. Then he back flipped up, over, and behind the figure and caught his own Falchion before slashing the man in the back, killing him.

Straightening, Marth looked at the prince and his tactician, who were no less than stunned. "I trust this proof will suffice?" he asked. Chrom nodded once in response. "Yeah."

Then another assassin leapt out of the bushes and attacked Marth. He turned to block, but the sword of the dead man was under his foot as he stepped, causing him to stumble backwards- just enough for his mask to be shattered by the sword blow. As he struggled to regain his footing, Chrom rushed forward and slew the second killer.

When he turned around, Chrom was shocked to see long, raven locks that fell past Marth's shoulders, and a face that could only be described as pretty. "Wait-" he stopped, utterly surprised. "You're- you're a woman?"

The girl bore a slight expression of amusement as she replied, "And quite the actress, too. Honestly, I'm surprised you didn't figure it out 'till just now."

Any further conversation was cut off by a loud rumbling sound that came from within the castle. The three warriors dashed off to find the source of the commotion. While they did, Robin called forth the Einherjar-Marth to their assistance, hoping that the ghost of the Hero-King would tip the scales in their favor.

"Remember, I want the Emblem in my hand and Emmeryn dead on the floor," said a tall, evil-looking man. His eyes literally glowed red, as if he were possessed by an unclean spirit. "Let nothing distract you from either purpose."

"As you will it," his assassin said before dashing off.

As the word was passed along, a man by the name of Gaius was startled by the order. "Whoa, whoa, did I just hear right?" he said to himself. _We're to _kill_ the Exalt? I'm just here for the plunder. You know, line my pockets with some royal goods. The Exalt's such a sweet lady… Sure, I'll rob her blind, but I'd never harm her!_

"Emm!" Chrom exclaimed as he dashed into his sister's chambers. The woman was obviously afraid and confused by the commotion, as well as the sudden appearance of her brother, Robin, and both Marths.

Once he had briefly summarized the situation, Emmeryn said, "Chrom! Take Lissa and flee while you still have time!"

"No!" he replied. "We're not leaving you! Just stay where it's safe!" The he ordered the other two to get outside while he sealed the door.

"The assassins should scatter if we can defeat their leader," Robin mused. With that, he began to form a plan, even as the sleepy-yet-armed Shepherds began to arrive…

"Hmph!" growled the leader of the rogues. "Two assassins, and the little princeling was not even wounded?" Looking across the palace from his hiding place, his eyes suddenly narrowed as he saw some of the Shepherds.

"Wait. Some of these actors do not belong on this stage…" he mused. Then he saw Robin, and his eyes widened and he laughed. "Can it be?!" he exclaimed with glee. "After years of searching… Tonight, fate truly piles the gifts at my feet!

Back at the entrance to Emmeryn's chambers, Marth noticed her sword acting most strangely. She had not summoned it power, and yet- "Falchion is gleaming…" she murmured as the blade emitted a faint blue light.

"What's wrong?" Chrom asked.

"It's not your concern."

"Seems like nothing ever is with you," Chrom replied sourly.

"My apologies."

"Just stay by Emmeryn's door," Chrom ordered. "We'll handle the killers." Surprisingly, Marth moved to obey without question.

From within the door, Emmeryn cried, "Chrom, please! Flee while you can! You each have but one life, and I do not wish it weighed against mine!" Everyone ignored her.

Robin had everyone pair up again, this time placing himself with Einherjar-Marth, and sending Virion to accompany Frederick. However, this time instead of going on the offensive, he had the Shepherds form a perimeter to fight a mostly defensive battle.

The only ones that would leave the perimeter would be him and the ghost of Marth. They would move quietly about the castle to try and find the assassin's commander.

Once he was satisfied that things were in place, he left with the shade. No sooner than he had rounded the corner did the first of the assassins come around the opposite hallway.

The first battle was hard and bloody, and the Shepherds suffered many wounds, mostly due to the fact that they had not had time to don their armor, and they were in their nightclothes. Fortunately, Maribelle and Lissa were able to heal the more seriously wounded of their party.

As the first fight was finally completed, Chrom noticed a figure lurking in the shadows. Before he could approach them, they stepped into the light. "I knew there was wisdom in slipping in with those rouges," she muttered. "Look at how these man-spawn claw at each other like savages!

"I will repay my warren's debt and then wash my hands of their race." Then she noticed Chrom approaching her, and she reached for something at her waist.

Upon Chrom's inspection, he realized that there was something off about the woman, but it was hard to tell in the evening torchlight. "Another assassin?" he asked aloud.

"Hold!" the female Marth called out. "Panne is not your enemy!"

"You know her?"

"I know… of her. And I knew she would come here tonight."

"Quite the prophet, aren't you?" Chrom said, never taking his eyes off of Panne.

"As you say," Marth replied. "And I swear to you, Panne is an ally."

Chrom thought it over for a moment before saying, "Good enough for me." Turning to address his soldiers, he shouted, "All right, Shepherds! For now, we leave this Panne character be."

"Is that wise, milord?" asked Frederick.

"Marth has earned our trust," Chrom said adamantly. "She enjoys her secrets, I know. …Like her gender, for one. But she's also saved our lives. Twice. And that's good enough for me."

Then the young woman surprised them both by saying, "Chrom… Thank you."

Hearing the sounds of more attackers, Chrom lifted his sword and cried, "Now to the matter at hand: driving these scoundrels from the castle!"

Marth waved Panne over, and after only a brief moment of hesitation, the woman moved to join the skilled sword maiden. Then the next wave was upon them, and the Shepherds were fighting for their lives.

As the bandits advanced, Panne pulled out a purple orb that flashed with blinding light. When it faded, a light brown rabbit three times the size of a normal man had taken her place. The hare moved with great speed to pound two of the mercenaries that came too close to the Exalt's chambers.

If her transformation disturbed or shocked any of the Shepherds, they kept it to themselves. Right now, protecting Emmeryn was all that mattered.

Chrom and Sumia managed to take down one of the men with relative ease, but it seemed that he wasn't really trying to them. Chrom decided that this one might surrender, given the chance. "Drop your weapon, or die where you stand!" Chrom barked.

"Easy there, blue blood," the man scowled, clutching his injured shoulder. "I'm not here to hurt anyone."

"Yet you run with a band of assassins?" Chrom's disbelief was evident in his tone.

Gaius shrugged noncommittally. "Believe or not, just trying to make a living. I'm a thief, see? Bust open doors, crack into chests… that kind of thing."

Gesturing at one of his dead accomplices, he said, "This lot said they wanted to break into some type of vault. Nobody said anything about murder. I'd just as soon sit this one out."

"Hmm…" Chrom hesitated. He knew that he was going to have to take a risk, but then he knew that life was filled with risks. "Then perhaps you'd be willing to prove your good intentions?"

"Beg pardon?" Gaius was surprised.

"We need all the help we can get to save the Exalt's life. You appear capable, and we could use any information you have about our foes."

"Oh right," Gaius muttered. "Those good intentions. Fine then, I'll prove my sincerity… if you sweeten the deal."

You want gold?" Chrom growled. "Fine, you scoundrel. Jet me just- oops." He bent over to pick up a small packet as he spoke.

"Looks like you dropped something," Gaius remarked. "What's in the satchel, mmm?"

"Nothing- candies from my little sister. I'm sure you-"

"Candies'?" Gaius asked with a strange tone. "As in, sugar candies?"

"Well… yes, I assume they'd be sweet?" Chrom said with a puzzled frown. "But-"

"IT'S A DEAL!" Gaius shouted, startling several of the Shepherds nearby.

Chrom stared at the man, dumbstruck. "You'll risk your life for us if I give you… a bag of candy?" He was stunned.

"I said 'sweeten the deal', didn't I? Don't get me wrong, I'll take the gold, too. Later." Taking the satchel from Chrom, he added, "Unless you've got more of these. …Have you got more of these?!"

"Um… I'll ask Lissa."

Robin and Marth crept silently through the castle, using the sounds of the battle for the Exalt to mask any noise they might make. They searched for what seemed like an eternity-but what was probably only about twenty minutes- until they saw someone dressed in a dark mage's robes, overlooking the battle from a shadowed balcony.

"That's him," Robin whispered to Marth. The ghost nodded, and they began moving towards him. Once they had gotten behind him, Robin drew his blade and prepared to swing it.

"Well, well…" said the figure. Then he laughed and turned around, seemingly unperturbed by the Einherjar and the tactician prepared to kill him. "Oh, I know you…"

Robin felt a sudden thrill of fear as he realized that the man with the red eyes was talking to him. And even as they looked at each other, Robin felt that he might know this man somehow- as if from a long-lost dream.

"Submit to me, and perhaps I might honor you with the truth!" the man snarled. Robin hesitated for a split second before deciding that he didn't want to know the truth if it were to come from a man such as this. He charged forth with his sword in hand.

The master assassin whipped out a red tome, and robin barely evaded the pillar of Elfire that the man cast at him. Marth took advantage of the distraction to move in past Robin and stab the dark one.

The blade missed hitting anything vital, but the shock still drove him back. Then man roared and hit Marth dead-on with a dark magic spell.

Then Robin took up the attack. Whipping out his thunder tome, he cast an Elthunder spell, which caused bolts of forked lightning to erupt from around his enemy. Shockingly, the man shrugged off the attack as if it were no more annoying than a mosquito. _What the hell?_

The mastermind cast another spell at the tactician, who wasn't quite so lucky this time. He avoided serious harm, but his clothes caught fire, distracting him so that his attacker could move in to finish the job.

And he would have, if not for the Einherjar. Wounded, but not yet broken, the Hero-King rose and stabbed the assassin in the back, and continued through to protrude from his chest. The man looked down, shocked and afraid.

"No…" he gurgled. "This is… all wrong… How could… you have known the plan…" Then he released his last breath.

As surely as Robin had predicted, the assassins cleared out once Robin dragged their leader's body in as proof that he was dead. The only one that remained was Gaius, but Chrom deemed him to be no threat.

Maribelle and Lissa worked together to repair the damage done to Robin's body, as his burns turned out to be more serious than he had originally thought. While he lay in the hallway, he listened to Chrom's conversation with his sister and a few others.

"Thank the gods you're safe!" he said as he hugged the Exalt.

"It is you I have to thank, Chrom."

The Captain of the Pegasus Knights was shamefaced as she said, "Forgive me, milord! I failed in my duty- they never should have made it into the palace in the first place."

Chrom shook his head and reassured her with the words, "Peace, Phila. You couldn't have known what was coming. Only Marth could…" The prince paused and looked around.

"Marth?" asked Emmeryn.

"Yes, I would speak more with… Um…" Looking over at his tactician, he asked, "Robin, where's Marth?"

"Hmm… An excellent question," Robin muttered. Casting his eyes about as much as he could without moving, he said, "She was here a moment ago…"

"Not again!" Chrom growled as he rushed out the hall.

He caught the young lady leaving through the courtyard where she had surprised him earlier. He cut her off and stood firmly in front of her, determined to speak more fully with her this time.

"Going somewhere?" he said. "You seem to have a bad habit of leaving without saying good-bye, you know."

"Yes, I'm afraid I have a few bad habits." The girl seemed disgruntled that she had been caught leaving.

"Good ones as well," Chrom reminded her. "You saved my life, as well as both of my sisters. Is there a way I can repay you? Some favor I can grant?"

Marth smiled, a genuine smile, for the first time. "Hearing you offer is enough."

"But there must be something…"

"I already have what I came for," Marth said with a shake of her head, causing her raven locks to swirl about her face. "History has been rewritten."

Chrom's face shadowed with concern. "And what future averted?"

"After the Exalt's assassination, the Fire Emblem would be stolen. This, in turn would lead to a great war, and soon to the end of mankind itself. …But I'm sure that sounds like madness to you."

Chrom shrugged as he replied, "Strangely, no. It doesn't. Somehow I know I can trust you. And I hope someday to repay your favors."

Marth hesitated for a moment, then she said, "All right, perhaps one day you shall. Until then…" She walked past Chrom without a word. And this time, he let her go.

Back in the palace, Robin was feeling well enough to stand on his own. He was in a circle consisting of Emmeryn, Phila, himself, and the shape-shifter woman- Lissa and Maribelle had told about her abilities, so he knew who she was. _What_ she was still puzzled him.

Now that the torches were more brightly lit thanks to his magic, he could see that even though she looked humanoid, her ears were still that of a rabbit. And her face was also slightly more animalistic than that of a normal human.

"Brave taguel, there are not words to express my gratitude," said Emmeryn. The woman appeared slightly surprised to hear the name that Emmeryn used for her.

"So you know our true name?" she asked.

"Sorry, what's a taguel?" Robin could not keep his curiosity silent.

"I am a taguel," Panne said bitterly. "The… The last taguel. We are shape-shifters." Looking sharply at Robin, she added, "Most of your kind called us 'beast' or 'coney' in the midst of their hunt. I only helped you because my warren owes Ylisse a debt."

Turning back to face Emmeryn, she snapped, "Do not think us friends, you and I!"

"I don't understand…" Robin said softly.

Panne fixed her sharp eyes on him and said, "Yes, it's precious little your kind seems to understand. It was man-spawn like you that invaded our warren and slaughtered my people."

"What?!" Emmeryn said, shocked. "Is this true? Who would do such a thing?"

"Ha! Do not act so shocked. You are all the same. Right down to your base desire to ruin and destroy all you touch- even each other."

For a tense moment, no one said anything. Robin and Phila, because they were too angry to form words, and Emmeryn, because she knew that Panne was mostly right.

Finally, she did say, "There is truth to your words, perhaps. I'm told that in taguel society, everyone is treated as an equal. Mankind could have learned much from your warren. The words may come too late and mean little, but I am deeply sorry. We have stolen your friends and family and made the world a lesser place."

"Your Grace!" Phila protested. "You had no fault in this!"

"You claim to be blameless," Panne scoffed. "And yet you would apologize? Pah! Your words are but wind." _Be careful what you say, little bunny,_ Robin thought angrily. _Or I may show you just how much wind I can blow._

"I know…" Emmeryn sighed with sadness. "But they are all I have."

Then Panne cocked her head and frowned- this time with confusion. "You seem sincere, man-spawn," she finally said. You feel my pain as your own. …I've never felt that before."

The taguel fell silent for a moment, then seemed to reach a decision. "Look at me," she said firmly. "See what I am. I will never trust mankind. But you… Perhaps you truly are not like the others.

Emmeryn shook her head and said, "All I ask is a chance to earn your trust."

"Nngh…" the master assassin groaned as he lay in the darkness. Slowly, he forced himself to get up. "How?!" he growled. "My purpose is too significant… to be thwarted here…" Again, he groaned in agony from his wounds.

"Validar." A familiar voice said.

The man turned to see a figure shrouded in darkness, almost as if he himself was a living darkness. "What?" he gasped. "Who are you…? Where did you… come from?"

The voice chuckled menacingly. "I am the power that compels you," said the shadow. "You will not perish here. It is not written. You must live on to author a destiny greater than you know."

Suddenly, Validar recognized the voice. "I-impossible!" he cried out. "It can't be you! It can't be…"

Again, the shadow laughed. "I am the wings of despair. I am the breath of ruin. I am the fell dragon, Grima…" And then Validar knew the true meaning of fear.

The next morning, Chrom met with his sister, Phila, and Frederick in the war council room. Once they had gathered, Phila breached the subject that was troubling them all.

"It will take time to investigate how the assassination plot got so far," she said. "We have no leads at present."

Chrom rolled his eyes and said with barely restrained rage, "It was Plegia! I'm sure of it. They'd do anything for the Emblem." Turning to his sister, Chrom pleaded, "Emm, you can't stay here. Come to Ferox where it's safe."

"And leave the people undefended?" Emmeryn gave her brother a frown. "War is at our borders, Chrom." Do you expect Ylisse to stand against Plegia without a leader?" Before Chrom could protest, Emmeryn said, "They must know their Exalt stands with them."

"Still," Chrom said. "But what if something happens to you? What then?"

It was here that Frederick finally spoke up. Normally he would not get involved in family affairs, but these were not normal times. "Your Grace, perhaps you might relocate to the eastern palace for the time being? The other kingdoms know nothing of it. You would be safer."

Chrom nodded, hoping that his sister would agree, too. "Yes, please," he begged. "At least that. I can't leave for Ferox with you right in harm's way."

After a moment of lengthy consideration, Emmeryn finally agreed. "Very well."

"Thanks, Emm. I mean it. We'll escort you to the palace before we head north to the border." With an immense sense of relief, Chrom left with Frederick to make preparations.


	10. Incursion

Incursion

The eastern palace was only a two-day march to the north-east of Ylisstol, so there was only one night where the Shepherds and the Pegasus Knights made camp. Emmeryn was being guarded at all hours, day and night by a dozen fighters.

She had protested against such measures, saying that she did not wish to exhaust their men, but her pleas were ignored. Robin thought that for an Exalt, Emmeryn did not get what she wanted very often.

Chrom and Lissa were also guarded, but Chrom did not have as many protectors as his sisters- he insisted that he was quite capable of defending himself. Nonetheless, Frederick insisted on posting two royal guards outside his tent, while he himself would guard Lissa.

It was once again getting to be later in the night when Chrom found himself unable to sleep, worrying about Emmeryn. He wished that he could have someone to talk to, and he found himself praying to Naga, the divine dragon, for strength and endurance in these hard times.

When he had finished praying, he heard a familiar voice calling out, "Chrom! Hel-LOOOOOO?!" Smiling to himself, he ordered his guards to wave her inside while he straight-ened his tent up.

She walked in just as he had lit some extra candles for more light. "Oh, hey, Sumia."

"Hello," she said with a smile. "Look, I baked you another pie!"

His mouth watering, Chrom moved to get his eating utensils, while saying over his shoulder, "Sumia, you are too much. Where do you find all the time and energy for this?"

"Oh, it's nothing, really!" she protested. "Hardly any trouble at all!" After a moment, though, she added, "Except for finding veggies… And grinding flour… Oh, and kneading dough. But apart from _that_, it's easy as… well, pie! I like doing it. Really. Honest."

Still more than a little touched by all that she was doing for him, Chrom said, "Well, if you say so."

"Oh, I do say so! And today I made an extra big one so we can eat it together!"

Chrom laughed gently, now seeing what her motive was- at least, he hoped he was right. "A pie shared with friends is twice as tasty," he said as he sat down, and motioned for her to sit next to him. "Or so my old Nurse Nan said."

Once Sumia had sat down beside him, Chrom put his hand on hers and looked his friend in the eye. "Listen," he said hesitantly. "Sumia. I'm… "I'm sorry. About bringing you into all this, I mean. You deserve better than a battlefield, but right now, that's where I need you."

"Oh, Chrom…" Sumia said gently. "It's an honor and a privilege to serve you." When he looked unconvinced and sad, Sumia added, "Besides, serving as a soldier isn't all bad. There are lots of things I like about it."

"Truly? Like what?"

"Well, the horses are fun!"

Chrom cocked his head. "You mean the Pegasus? Er, Pegasuses? …Pegasi?"

"Those too! I just love swooping through the sky- it's so exhilarating!" Sumia sighed happily as she remembered the time that she had saved Chrom from certain death. "But I like looking after them even more. Combing manes, brushing teeth…"

"You do spend a lot of time in the stables, now that I think about it."

Sumia nodded. "I do hate that they have to fight. When I see them in the thick of battle…" A pained expression clouded her face for a moment. "I know we need them if we're to win this war. It can't be helped. But it makes my heart ache every time I see a beautiful creature hurt…"

For a moment, Chrom was nonplussed. Then he realized that he still had his hand atop hers. Slipping his fingers underneath her palm, he gripped her hand firmly. The girl gave an involuntary gasp as she realized that Chrom, the Crown Prince of Ylisse, was holding her hand.

"I don't know what to say, Sumia. Except to thank you again. Thank you for all the sacrifices you're making for my sake. I swear that I will do everything in my power to end this war quickly. And I promise to build a peace that will endure for generations."

Sumia's eyes glistened with tears for a moment, and she didn't want Chrom to see them. So she threw her arms around him and pulled him into an embrace like she had been wanting to do for the longest time.

"I know you will, Chrom," she said. "And I'm going to help you do it." And then she smiled as she felt Chrom's arms slide behind her back, strong and warm.

The next day, the party had reached a rugged area, where Ylisse's eastern ocean battered the cliffs unceasingly. Robin knew that from the maps he had been studying, the eastern palace would be hidden amongst the cliff somewhere near here.

Chrom, Robin, Lissa, Frederick, Emmeryn, and one other man that Robin did not know were at the head of the column, looking around for the secure palace.

"Ugh, my poor feet," Lissa grumbled. "I've got blisters the size of eggs."

"Oh, it's not so bad, Lissa," Chrom teased. "Just a healthy little stroll!" Turning to his tactician, he added, "How are you holding up, Robin?"

"My legs feel like pudding," Robin muttered. "Your endurance astounds me, Chrom."

"Hah! Should I carry you?"

"You can carry me!" Lissa interjected. When Chrom raised his eyebrow, she insisted, "No, seriously. I would really be okay with you carrying me."

While the two siblings began arguing back and forth, Robin turned to see Frederick talking to the man that he did not know. "Is something troubling you, Hierarch?" Frederick asked. "You keep glancing up at the peaks."

"Hmm?" the man asked. "Oh, I'm just a b-bit nervous, I'm afraid. Gh-ghastly times, these!" Sweat began lining his brow.

As Frederick continued to talk to the man to assure him of his safety, Robin walked over to Chrom casually. But when he reached his captain, his tone was lowered. "Chrom, who is that?" He pointed at the green-robed man.

"The hierarch? He's been a friend of House Ylisse for many years. He guided Emmeryn during the early years of her rule. Why do you ask?"

Robin unconsciously brushed his fingers against the pocket that held his fire tome. "I can't quite put my finger on it," he said quietly. "But something feels-"

"Grah ha ha ha! Time to die, princey!"

Chrom and Robin turned as one to slay two Plegian soldiers that leapt out of an outcropping of boulders. When they were dead, Chrom growled, "Plegian soldiers?! Damn! How did they know we were here?"

Deciding it didn't matter, he bellowed at the column, "Everyone! Prepare for combat!"

_Not again,_ thought Robin. _Why can't we ever take a walk without somebody trying to kill our royalty?_ Then the time for thinking was over, and the battle was set to begin as Wyvern Riders and axe men began pouring into the pass.

One of them could be heard shouting, "Smell that, men? The winds of fortune are blowing our way!" Robin took note of him as he directed the troops into position. It was likely that he was the commander, so he would have to be their first target.

Suddenly, the elderly hierarch rushed forward, calling out, "Hold, sir! I am the man King Gangrel told you about!" As he said those words, Robin's suspicions were confirmed, and Chrom's passion activated.

"Did you not receive orders to take me into your protection?"

Chrom was about to rush forward to kill the traitor, but Robin held him back. "Wait," he said grimly. "I can guess how this will play out."

The enemy captain cocked his head at the hierarch and said, "I've orders to protect a man, true… But I see no man here! Only a pig!" The hierarch paled. "A rasher of traitorous bacon that sold out his own sovereign!

"And what do we do with little piggies, mmm?"

"Well, you… I mean, perhaps… You let them go free?" The former advisor was looking decidedly uncomfortable, Robin thought.

"Are you a chicken now?" the Plegian captain jeered. "We've a whole barnyard in our midst!" And he laughed as the Plegian axe-users moved closer to the turncoat. "Well, it don't matter what you are. The axe will fall just the same!"

And then the hierarch screamed as the brigands bore down on him. The matter didn't take long. As his men began advancing again, Captain Vasto grinned at the sight. "Right! Now for the main event. By moon's end, they'll be erecting statues of me in the capital!"

Increasing his volume, he called out, "Ho there! Ylisseans! Give me the Fire Emblem and your wench of a ruler, and spare yourselves a gory end!"

Chrom ignored him and turned to the Captain of the Pegasus Knights. "Phila, take Emmeryn to the rear of the column. We'll fend off these blackguards!"

Once again, Emmeryn was taken to safety, although this time she knew that protesting would do her no good. On the battlefield, Chrom's command was supreme, matched only by his tactician. Together, no one could stand against those two.

After Robin had her do a quick flyover while the rest of the Shepherds engaged the first group of soldiers, Sumia reported back to him. Many rulers- or potential rulers- would worry about their soldiers reporting to their tacticians before them, but Chrom held no such inhibitions with Robin.

So it was that when Sumia had filled Robin in on the details, the thinker frowned. "I don't like our odds here," he said.

"Why not?" asked Chrom.

"They have an entire squad of wyverns, and we only have one Pegasus and her Rider. Even with you on her back, I worry that Sumia will not be able to defeat them."

"What do you suggest, then?" Sumia was eager to know the plan, as it would apparently place her in the greatest danger. Still, she would do anything for Chrom if he or Robin asked her. "Should we wait for them to come to us, first?"

"No," Robin said adamantly. "I would wait for my enemy to weaken if I had time, but not while they are mobilized for attack. Once the battle has been engaged, you never stay in one place for too long- it gives them an opportunity to get archers in place."

"So what's our move, then?" Chrom's voice was etched with irritation, as he wanted nothing more than to join his men in the fray.

Robin held up a hand to indicate that he wished for them to be silent until he had finished outlining his plan. "Sumia and you will get their attention by killing one or two of them. I need you to lure the others back towards the Cliffside, where Virion, Ricken, and myself will be heading. Once you get there, haul your asses out of the way and let us do the rest."

Chrom looked at the approaching enemies and said in a tone that was as much a plea as a subtle threat, "This plan of yours had better work."

"When have my plans never worked?"

On the western part of the battlefield, another Pegasus Knight was urging her steed to the greatest possible speed. Her flaming red hair were normally would reach the small of her back, but now it looked like fire itself was flowing from her brow.

Her name was Cordelia, and though many did not know it, she had skills that rivaled that of Phila, despite her age of nineteen. Few could beat her in a match with the lance, and none of her comrades knew how to work the Pegasi like her.

She was breathing heavily as she beheld the battle, and despair lanced her heart. "No!" she cried out. "Plegians here as well?!"

She drew closer and her despair eased ever so slightly as she saw her commander, and Prince Chrom, both alive, although Chrom looked like he was headed for suicide atop a Pegasus. The fact that he was riding one was confusing, but not enough to deter her from her mission.

"Prince Chrom!" she called out. "Captain Phila! Beware! Enemy reinforcements to the rear! They'll be upon us soon!"

Chrom was not as quick to recognize the rider, but Phila did, and the implications of not only her message- but also her very presence- disturbed her. "Is that…" then she gasped, which worried Emmeryn. It took a lot for the Captain of the Pegasus Knights to worry about anything. "Is that Cordelia?!"

Her shock was loud enough for Robin to hear, even though he had been moving into position with his selected warriors. "Cordelia?" he called back, trusting the others to warn him if he was needed.

"She's one of my knights. Young yet, but quite gifted. But she was stationed on the border… Why…? Oh, gods!" she cried out as she realized that none of the other knights were with Cordelia. "Could it mean…?"

Then the enemy was converging upon Robin, and paid no more heed to the Pegasus Knights. He had to focus on the Shepherds' battle.

A dozen wyverns were headed their way at the behest of their bloodthirsty riders. Robin saw that they were chasing Sumia's steed as planned, so he readied his magic, even as Ricken did the same. They had agreed beforehand that the riders would be moving too fast for them to use Elwind spells, so they would have to settle for the standard magic.

"Virion, my good man, it's your move," Robin said. The archer smiled proudly and said in a sing-song voice as he raised his bow, "'Tis a thing of beauty, my craft." Then he let loose several arrows, even as Sumia banked her Pegasus hard to the right.

The pursuers had been so focused on catching her and- perhaps more importantly- Prince Chrom, that they did not see the oncoming missiles until several of their wyverns shrieked and began to plummet.

Then Robin and Ricken unleashed their attacks in the form of air's wrath. The riders steed's were caught in the vortex, and even if their hollow wing bones were not destroyed, their riders were thrown off without fail.

Thus the wyvern unit was effectively shattered, although two had caught on in time to dodge the savage winds. Now they dove, screaming their hatred at the killers of their comrades. But before either magic users or archers could react, two Pegasi crashed into them with brutal force, shocking the riders and spectators alike.

On one, Sumia stabbed with her lance while Chrom hacked at the dragon's wings with his sword. On the other, Robin was surprised to see the red-haired rider leap off of her steed in order to land on the back of the flying lizard. She cut the man's throat, then rammed her spear into the wyvern's left wing, rendering it incapable of flying.

Then as if they had practiced this before- which Robin had no doubt that they had, she leapt from the dying animal back into the safety of her own saddle, waiting on the back of her Pegasus down below.

Robin found himself highly impressed. _Phila was right,_ he thought. _Talented, indeed._ Then it was back to the relatively difficult manner of staying alive against the odds.

He was filled with relief when Sumia and Chrom came to reinforce his group, along with the new rider. "What now?" panted Chrom.

"Isn't it obvious?" Robin smiled grimly. "Wipe them out to the last man. We don't need prisoners or informants this time."

"Should we not head for the commander?"

Robin shook his head. "There's too many archers for you to get to him alive, much less unscathed. No, we'll have to keep the Pegasi grounded for this one. But thank you, both of you."

He addressed the last part to Sumia and Cordelia. They acknowledged his thanks with a salute using their weapons. "Now please fall back and let Lissa and Maribelle take a look at you. I don't want to see either of you hurt."

He made a point at looking at a wound that Sumia had gotten on her ribcage, likely from a spear. He also noted that Cordelia had a bruise that marred her otherwise lovely face.

"Why?" Cordelia protested. "And who do you think you are?" Robin did not answer, but his brows met in a dark 'V' shape.

Sumia answered, "Robin is the finest Shepherd's tactician that has ever lived. Not one of his tactics have cost us a single casualty."

The familiarity that Sumia seemed to share with the other Knight indicated that they were longtime friends, Robin decided. His theory gained strength as Cordelia's fierce gaze softened somewhat, and she said, "My apologies, master Robin. I will do as you have ordered."

Robin had the grace to smile and say, "It wasn't an order- a request. Now Chrom, let's you and me show these lowlifes a thing or two."

"Be safe!" both girls called after them.

A long four hours later in the afternoon, just before the sun was to set, the ground was painted with the blood of nearly all the Plegians. Unfortunately, there was Ylissean blood in the rocks as well.

Stahl and Sully had been protecting each other when they were ambushed, and it was only due to Robin's intervention alongside the Einherjar-Marth and Chrom that they had a chance at living. Even so, it was taking all of Lissa's, Maribelle's, and even Emmeryn own healing abilities to keep the Shepherds from dying.

There were others less seriously wounded like Donnel, who had bravely fought off a pair of axe men that snuck past the skirmishes to kill the Exalt. He had seen them before the Pegasus Knights, and before anyone knew it, he had skewered one and was battling the other.

Unfortunately, the man he had stabbed didn't die until after he had destroyed the other one. While he had stood there, gasping for breath, the man used the last of his strength to stab his right leg. Donnel had not howled or cried, he had just looked at the man and bashed his head in with the butt of his spear before sinking to the ground from exhaustion and blood loss.

Lissa had then lavished all of her skill and attention on him, only stopping at regular intervals to assist healing the other two.

The others wounded were Gaius, Ricken, and Lon'qu, although it had taken eight men to bring him to his knees, and even then, he was back in action with some crude bandages, although the taguel Panne was never too far from him after that, by order of Robin. Fortunately, Lon'qu's crippling fear of women seemed to be forgotten on the battlefield- although if it was simply because she was a taguel, and not a human, Robin did not know.

But at last, the majority of the Shepherds stood before Vasto and his personal guard, all adding up to two-and-ten warriors. Chrom's eyes burned with hatred at the man, but he stayed his blade out of respect for his tactician.

By this point, Chrom's Shepherds were finally at an advantage when it came to numbers, but they were so worn out, that it did not matter. Vasto's men were fresh and hard, and there was no way for them to be able to win this fight.

So therefore, Robin had to come up with something that no one would see coming. Thinking back to his strategy game with Virion, he remembered how the man had made it seem as though he would retreat, but leaving just enough troops for a surprise attack.

"Fall back," he growled. When the others, even the Plegians, looked at him like he had lost his mind, he roared, "GO! That's an order!" Before Chrom could protest, Robin looked at him hard in the eyes, then briefly flicked them up at the mountainside.

Not understanding completely, but sure that Robin had a plan, he echoed Robin's command, and got the troops moving. Once they had all cleared, Vasto laughed at him and the Einherjar next to him. "You can't possibly think to take us all on your own, map-reader," he taunted. "You'll be dead in less than a minute with the odds you're facing."

"I agree," said Marth. "These are bad odds."

"Robin chuckled and said, "Quite right, your highness. They don't stand a chance."

Marth lunged forward, as if to attack them on his own. As he did, Robin began to cast his Elthunder spell, not at the men, but at the mountain itself.

Even as Marth faded into a blue fog and his spirit returned to the card, lightning erupted from the side of the cliff, sending showers of boulders down on the remaining Plegians. Realizing that they had been tricked, they rushed forward to kill Robin, whom simply smiled coldly, and waited.

Even as Vasto came within throwing distance, the boulders struck him and his men, crushing them underneath rocks that had stood for millennia, ever since Marth himself had ruled. Robin dusted his gloves off, and turned to face his stunned comrades. "All clear!" he shouted.

Then he heard a coughing sound, and he turned to see Vasto, half-buried, and very nearly dead. The coughing sound was the chuckle coming from his ruined frame. "You doves think…" he gasped. Then he managed to gasp, "Killing me will change anything? Even now, my brothers storm across your precious border…"

Looking up, he saw that Emmeryn herself had come to the scene, and he grinned crookedly. "Go on, dear exalted coward!" he spat. "Flee while they slaughter your subjects! Save yourself…" Robin saw the color fading in his face rapidly, and knew that he was about to die. "Let their faith in you… bleed away… with the rest…" Then he was dead. And Robin knew that war had reached them.

Turning to his sister, Chrom said, "They're gone" Cordelia came running up to them, her eyes now marked with tear tracks. Earlier she had been too focused to allow herself to feel any grief, but now…

"Your Grace! My Prince!" she called. "Run! As far and fast as you can! More Plegians are coming, not half day's march behind you!"

Phila shouldered her way forward and demanded, "Cordelia what are you doing here? Tell me the borders remain secure!"

"That I could, milady! But it would be false…" Profound grief twisted her face as she groaned, "Gangrel himself led his might against us! The end was upon us when my knight-sisters begged me fly and warn the Exalt… I should have stayed! I should have stayed!" She began sobbing uncontrollably, and Robin was reminded of Donnel, when they first found him, believing his people to be dead.

"Ah, gods, I can still hear the screams…" Cordelia moaned and would have collapsed, had Phila not caught her. In an uncharacteristically soft voice, she said, "Peace, Cordelia. You did your duty. The sisters rightly prized your youth. You've many years yet to keep their legacy alive."

But I abandoned them! I'm weak…" Cordelia shook her head in shame and sorrow. "Their legacy deserves better."

"Sometimes fleeing takes the most courage. They knew that," Phila said gently. Then, straightening her knight, Phila's voice resumed its normal air of severity. "Now pull yourself together. Let the faith they showed in you give you strength."

"Captain Phila, I…" Cordelia would not meet her superior's gaze. How can I go on like this? They were my… my family… Gods… Oh, gods…" She would have fallen again had Robin not caught her.

"Damn those monsters!" The outburst came from Chrom.

Before he could indulge in more foul language, though, Emmeryn stated, "I must return to the capital."

"Your Grace, I cannot advise-"

"I never should have left," Emmeryn cut off Phila without so much as looking at her. Her eyes were fixed on Chrom. "If it's discovered I'm away when this news comes to light… The people could panic. Riot. More Ylisseans could needlessly die."

Striding forward, she pulled what appeared to be a mid-sized golden shield out of her robes and handed it to her brother. "Here, Chrom," she said gravely. "I entrust this to you."

"The Fire Emblem?" Chrom asked with disbelief. Robin eyed the shield with doubt as the prince reluctantly took it. This_ is what Gangrel wants?_ He thought with disbelief. _A war is being fought over a piece of metal?_ Looking more closely, he could see that there was a white gem of some sort at the top of the shield, in addition to the fact that there were four more slots for other gems. _Does this thing truly hold power as Gangrel and Emmeryn said?_

"Take it to Ferox- to safety," Emmeryn ordered.

"And leave you? No Emm," Chrom objected firmly. The rest of the Shepherds growled their agreement with their captain.

But the Exalt remained adamant. "No part of House Ylisse is more important than the Emblem. It possess tremendous power. But too much blood has been shed over it already. I hope it finds a better guardian in you than it did me."

"Emm, come on," Chrom said, his face paling. "Don't talk like that! You sound as though you're ready to give up…"

"I am not giving up, Chrom. I am only giving what I can." Then she turned to leave the Shepherds, and her siblings.

"Emm, please!" Chrom cried after his sister. "This is madness!"

"Sis, wait! Let me go with you!" This time it was Lissa that spoke. At the sound of her voice, Emmeryn stopped and turned to face her family one last time.

"Stay with Chrom, Lissa," she said in a tone that brooked no argument. "I command it."

Lissa began to cry, and Donnel moved to put a comforting arm around her. "This isn't fair!" she sobbed. "It's not fair! I know our people need you, but we you, too!"

"Dry your tears love," Emmeryn said in a kinder tone, and a small smile on her lips. "This is not good-bye."

"Your Grace," said Phila, resigned to the fact that the Exalt was determined. "The Pegasus Knights will accompany you to Ylisstol.

To their surprise, Emmeryn accepted the offer without any resistance. "Very well, Phila. Thank you."

At this, Frederick stepped forward to look his ruler in the eye. "I will keep the prince and princess safe, Your Grace. You have my word."

"I know you will, Frederick. Thank you."

"It is my honor." Robin thought he saw a hint of tears in the powerful knight's eyes, but they did not fall.

Turning to face her protégé, Phila simply said, "Cordelia. You will stay here with Chrom."

"But Captain-" Phila held up a hand to cut her off before she could protest. "I know your heart is heavy, but this is how it must be. Your sister-knights will be with you in spirit, wherever you go."

For several moments, Cordelia said nothing. Then: "May they give me strength." And she stood taller than before. "As you command, Captain. I will pray for your safety."

At this point Emmeryn decided that it was time to leave. "Come, Phila. We must go."

"No! You don't have to go! This is absurd!" Chrom was showing a desperation that Robin had never seen in him before, not even when he faced death at the hands of the Feroxi Guard.

Emmeryn tried to calm him by speaking soothing words. "Chrom, you don't-"

"Walking to your own death will not bring peace to anyone!" he bellowed, cutting her off. Sumia tried to hug him from the side, but he stepped out of her grasp and closer to his sister. "Ylisse needs you! WE need you! Be selfish for once in your life!"

For a moment, the silence was so profound, and the audience so raptured by the argument, that even the waves against the rock seemed to lose the power of their volume.

Finally, Emmeryn said this; "I love you, Chrom. Both you and Lissa are my everything. As for the peace I seek… You cannot see who it is for. I have to go. I'm sorry- I truly am. Let us embrace in Ylisstol when you arrive with Feroxi reinforcements. I know you will come."

"This is a terrible plan…" Chrom's voice sounded hollow.

"The blood of the first Exalt runs strong in us," asserted Emmeryn. "You and I will keep Ylisse safe. I believe it with all my heart. Safe journey, Chrom. Safe journey, Lissa." Then, with a smile gracing her lips, the Exalt turned and left with her guards.

For a moment, Chrom was too numb to move. Then he started forward, his voice broken. "Emm…" he gasped. "Emm?! Ah…" Then he collapsed from the stress of watching his elder sister walk away to what was surely her doom. Lissa fared no better.

Robin realized that he was now in charge of getting them to Ferox, and he cursed once. Turning to Cordelia, he ordered her to get Lissa into the saddle before telling Sumia to do the same with Chrom.

The others dressed their wounds as best they could, and then set out under Robin's command. No one questioned his orders, for they were all too drained to argue anyway, even those like Vaike and Virion, normally full of cheer. The sight depressed Robin, and he wondered if they were truly going to make it in time- if at all.


	11. March

March

The small gathering of Ylisseans was as quiet as a tomb as they awaited an audience with Khan Flavia. It had been a hard three days forced march by Robin's command, stopping only to eat and drink twice a day, and to sleep once on the second night.

They had stumbled onto the Longfort, half-dead but resolved. They had been greeted well this time, and Raimi saw to it that the Khan was made aware of the situation immediately. Chrom, Lissa, Sumia, and of course Robin, moved on to the capital, another half-day's journey to meet with their ally while the other Shepherds stayed to recover. Frederick had remained behind to maintain order amongst the Shepherds.

After nearly ten minutes of utter quiet, Lissa couldn't stand watching her brother stare off into space. "B-but she's safe inside the castle, right?" she asked her brother. "Phila and the others will protect her! And Khan Flavia is assembling her best troops as we speak. We'll make it back in time. I know we will!" She was fairly rambling by this point as much from exhaustion as from the sheer stress.

Chrom said nothing, his eyes remaining hollow.

"Chrom!" Lissa cried. "Say something! Say, 'Yes, of course we will'!"

Chrom stared off into space some more, then mumbled, "I'm sorry, Lissa. What?"

"Ugh, fine! Never mind! Let me know when you get out of your own head for a second." Normally at this point, Robin would have interrupted in order to settle things quietly, but this time, he was just too tired, physically and mentally.

In the short time that he had come to know them, Robin's respect and admiration of House Ylisse had been placed in the highest plane of his regard. And now, he felt sorely for the broken family. And he felt powerless to help the ones that had been so kind to him.

Then someone moved up to stand nearly toe-to-toe with Chrom. "Snap out of it Captain!" Sumia snapped. Then she reared back and smashed her fist into Chrom's face. Had she been wearing gauntlets, the blow would have torn off his skin. As it was, his face still hurt a great deal. A large bruise was already forming.

Robin was glad then that Frederick had not accompanied them- he would have surely attacked Sumia for that, or at least reprimanded her for her behavior with a long, long lecture.

Khan Flavia managed to walk in at the exact moment of Sumia's unexpected act, but she said nothing yet, wanting to see how this played out. The Prince's response was not long in coming. And it amused Flavia to no end.

"OW!" Chrom shouted. "What the hell was that for?!" Seeing how close he and Sumia had become, he was bewildered that she would harm him in any manner at all.

"Oh no!" Sumia gasped and her hands flew up to her mouth, suddenly afraid. "Did I do it wrong? Captain Phila said sometimes a good slap will break someone out of their doldrums."

"Sumia, when you slap someone, you do it with an open palm," Lissa admonished as she reached for her brother's face with her staff. "You just punched Chrom in the face!" Light flared as the painful welt was healed by the power of Lissa's magic.

For a moment, under everyone's scrutinizing gaze, Sumia was at a loss for words. Then she finally said, "Um… It's the thought that counts?"

Chrom rubbed his face where he had been hit, the memory of the pain still fresh in his mind. "Gods, that seriously hurt…" he muttered.

At this point, Flavia could no longer contain herself. She burst out laughing, and said, "What's wrong, my dear prince? Sometimes love hurts!" Then she laughed again before managing to add, "You're lucky to have strong women like these, and not just dainty flowers about. In any case, I bring good news." At the last part, she finally managed to get serious.

"The Feroxi army has fully mobilized. Every last man is itching to fight." As an afterthought, she added, "I'm looking forward to savoring a skirmish or two myself."

"Wait…" Chrom said slowly. "You're coming along?"

"Of course! A Khan must have her fun. I'm even bringing my insignificant other."

"Your who?" For a moment, Robin thought that Flavia might be making fun of her husband, if she had one.

"Basilio," she said, referring to the other Khan, and disrupting Robin's theory. "The oaf isn't good for much, but he might stop a few stray arrows." Then she told them to accompany her to the throne room, where the West-Khan was waiting.

"Chrom!" called out Basilio in his deep, masculine voice. "Good gods, I've been looking for you everywhere!"

Chrom frowned at the man's disheveled appearance and erratic behavior. "Is something wrong?" he asked hesitantly, fearing that the question might bring bad luck. When Baslio's mood darkened, ice clutched his heart.

"Our scouts have reported back," said the khan. "Dark news, I'm afraid…" He paused. "Ylisstol… has fallen."

"What?!" Chrom burst out, fear and despair threatening to overtake him again.

Basilio shook his head sadly. He did not want to tell Chrom what had happened, but lying or hiding the truth from him would be far worse. "The Plegians captured your Exalt and retreated back across their lines. Gangrel has declared she's not be publicly executed within the moon."

"E-executed?!" Chrom repeated numbly.

Robin's thoughts began racing furiously. _'Within the moon' means by during the day of the next full moon,_ he thought. _That gives us three weeks. And I'll be damned before I see this battle lost. By the power of Naga, I'll see this through,_ he vowed silently.

Even as he was thinking this, Lissa moaned softly and collapsed. "Lissa?" he said, trying to rouse her as soon as he caught her. "Lissa!"

Off to the side, Flavia growled, "The dastard's not even trying to be subtle about it anymore."

"I agree," said Robin as he continued to hold a semi-conscious princess. "It's an obvious trap."

Basilio also added his agreement. "The Mad King knew our scouts would relay this information back. It's clearly a provocation- a hot brand to the buttocks! We should consider our options carefully before jumping to any-"

"Shepherds!" Chrom snarled. "We march to Plegia!"

Basilio cleared his throat and said in a mild tone, "Well, that would be_ one _option, yes… But perhaps we're seen enough royalty waltzing into traps for one war, already, eh?"

"I don't care if it's a trap, Basilio!" Chrom roared. Robin could see that he was very close to the edge of madness. "He's going to murder my sister!"

"Peace, Chrom." Flavia's voice was calm and commanding by contrast. "Breathe a moment." While Chrom visibly forced himself to relax, she continued, "No one's suggesting we don't act. We're simply saying we should act _wisely_. We'll need guts _and _wits in equal measure if we're to save your sister."

"The khans are right," Robin said. "I'll think of something, Chrom. I promise." The tactician watched reason slowly return to his friend's eyes.

The prince took a deep breath and said, "All right Robin… I leave it to you to formulate our strategy."

"Are you certain you're up to the task, Robin?" asked Flavia, her brow furrowed with concern. "It won't be easy. You hold the Exalt's life in one hand, and all of ours in the other."

Robin raised his chin and said with a voice of iron, "A responsibility I do not take lightly. But I am equal to the challenge." _And as Gangrel will discover, I am more than equal to this sick game of his- I will become the master._

Flavia laughed heartily, releasing some of her tension. "You've got stones at least! I like that!"

Basilio agreed heartily. "No hesitation, no mincing words… He's either a genius or a fool!" With a dangerous gleam in his eye, he said, "I suppose we'll find out once we march. Hold on to your tassets Ylisseans! We've an Exalt to save!"

Back at the Longfort, Ricken was restless. He knew that he should be staying still and resting, but those were a recipe for boredom. He considered trying to pick up some swordplay from Frederick, but then discounted the idea. His muscles were too soft for that kind of thing.

Still, he was bored. He had just about made up his mind to go ask the knight for some basic lessons while they waited for Chrom when a familiar face showed up in the door.

"Good evening," said his battle-partner with an uncharacteristic smile. Maribelle came in with a tray bearing a pot of tea, as well as two small cups. "The tea is ready, Ricken."

Surprised, but not wanting to disrupt her good mood, Ricken accepted the tea after he helped Maribelle into her seat. This was part of a well-established pattern of behavior with nobles such as they.

After taking a sip, he found the flavor to be jasmine, one of his favorites. "Mmm…" he said appreciatively. "That's good. Thanks, Maribelle."

The girl smiled brightly and set her cup down as she said, "It's the least I can do after you saved me from those Plegian scoundrels, dear boy. A single cup of tea will scarce replace the debt I owe you!"

Ricken laughed softly. "Aw, you don't owe me."

"Ha! Without you, tea would be leaking from sword holes on every side of me! That debt must be paid, especially as we're both members of Ylisse's old high houses. We may not be as close now as in ages past, but we're peers nonetheless. If ever I can be of help, you need but ask."

"Th-that's…" Ricken found himself at a loss for words. He had no idea that Maribelle of all people considered him an equal.

Maribelle cocked her head and set down her tea, then placed her hands folded in her lap, indicating that she was paying attention to him, and nothing else. "Whatever is the matter, dear?"

Ricken shrugged and smiled lopsidedly. "I'm just surprised to hear you say so, is all."

"Come now! You saved my life! Surely you don't think me the sort to forget a debt?"

Now Ricken understood. "No, not that!" he protested. "The part about our houses. My house isn't like it used to be." Heat flooded his face as he explained bitterly, "Actually, we're dead broke."

Maribelle had the grace to be genuinely embarrassed at putting Ricken in such an uncomfortable position. "Ah, yes," she stammered. "Well, the recent financial struggles of your house are hardly-"

"I was just surprised to hear you call us peers," Ricken interrupted. "That's all. Plus, look at me! I'm hardly an aristocrat."

Instead of lecturing him on his breach in protocol, as was her wont, Maribelle smiled demurely and said, "And what else could you be, mmm?" When Ricken didn't reply, she added, "A noble's honor isn't measured by the size of his purse, but quality of character. And anyone who risked his life for another has a noble spirit indeed!"

At that, Ricken blushed from her praise. She finished by saying, "Your family is every bit an equal to mine, and hang those who say differently!"

Surprised by the passion in her voice, Ricken smiled back at her and said, "Thanks, Maribelle." Then he lifted his cup and they resumed drinking their tea.

Later that evening, Chrom and the others returned from the capital with the khans. They were to rest for the night, and then set out at dawn. Robin immediately retreated to his quarters and refused to see anyone except for Chrom.

Stahl was executing a set of sword drills to work up his appetite before dinner. He was grunting to himself, "Ninety-eight… ninety-nine… one hundred!" He sat down heavily after that and groaned softly to himself. Then a shadow fell over him.

"Why do you repeat that same motion over and over again?" asked Miriel.

Stahl looked up and grinned. "Have you never heard of shadow fencing?"

"I assume it entails performing sword strikes with an imaginary opponent. Is the point of this exercise pure kinetic stimulation, or is there more to achieve?"

Unlike most people assumed, Stahl was actually very bright, and perfectly capable of understanding what Miriel was saying. "Well," he answered. "By making moves second nature, you can perform them better and faster."

"Interesting," Miriel mused as Stahl got to his feet. "So the goal is to remember the moves in your muscles, not your mind." When the rider nodded, she decided, "I think this process warrants further study. Would you mind terribly much it I observe?"

"In theory, no," Stahl said with a tired smile. "But I've just finished for the day, and I'm exhausted…"

"Ah, I see. That is disappointing. …Most _terribly_ disappointing." She sighed heavily.

Stahl knew that he was being guilt-tripped, but he resigned himself to it. He had been paired up with Miriel in combat before, so it was likely to happen again, and he did not want her upset with him. "B-but, if you really want, I suppose I could run through a few more drills," he said as she turned to go.

Miriel turned on her heel to face him and whipped out a notebook from her robes. "I believe two hundred repetitions would be sufficient to establish a baseline."

"T-two hundred?" Stahl gasped. "Good gods, I don't have the energy for that!"

Miriel gave him a hurt look, then repeated, "Most _terribly_ disappointing." When Stahl said nothing, Miriel put the notebook away and said, "Well, I suppose I can find another, more lucrative field of study. Perhaps I will just… observe this rock. Yes, that should suffice."

To Stahl's surprise, she stooped over and picked up a small stone and began to inspect it closely. "Hmm… It's round. And smooth. Wait! …No, it's still round."

"ARGH!" Stahl growled. "All right, all right. I'll do it. Just stop making me feel bad." Picking up his practice blade, he muttered, "Here we go." Then he began drilling, counting to himself upon each move completion.

"Excellent," said Miriel.

The next day, they began the march to Plegia as two individual units. Robin's plan entailed the Shepherds moving ahead of Ferox's main force, so that they could slip in relatively undetected. The Feroxi army would help clear their escape route once they had rescued Emmeryn.

Since the Ylissean forces had been moving at a fast pace, Robin insisted upon the troops being fed fresh meals in the morning and the evening. It was more time spent up late that way, but Robin could tell that they each appreciated hot meals more than an extra twenty minutes of sleep. To keep everyone's spirit up as much as possible, he also sent them on errands that forced them to interact with one another, and sometimes local villagers.

They would be passing through a part of Ylisse that was so far untouched by the war, and it was here that Robin had Lissa run an errand with Donnel, to try and get her spirits up. It required them to get up before dawn, but neither one complained about it.

She found the lad gripping his new spear tightly, and staring at the ground. The weapon was still wood for the most part, but Flavia had given him a weapon with better metal than his old one.

"Hey," she said with a wan smile. "Looks like it's the two of us on provisioning duty today. What should we hunt for? Mushrooms? Wild herbs? Ooh, maybe berries?" she jogged him on the shoulder, trying to get him out of the same gloom that she was trying escape.

He sighed and replied, "That all sounds tasty, but fightin' a war takes stouter stuff'n that. I vote for game." And he rose, weapon in hand.

"So, er, meat," Lissa mumbled. "From animals. Riiight… Guess we need to hunt some, then. Er, let's see…" She looked over at the weapons cache, not sure which one to pick.

Donnel saw the look and said, "Don't fret it none. I laid a half-dozen traps yesterday, just in case. Just follow me, Lissa."

A little while later, Lissa spotted Donnel's handiwork. "Whoa, look!" she said with surprise. "Two rabbits and a boar… The traps really worked!"

"Good thing, too," agreed her companion. "Now I ain't gotta worry 'bout you wanderin' around in the woods."

Lissa moved closer to the dead animals to look at the work Donnel had put into the traps. "I'm amazed, Donny. Where'd you learn how to hunt like this?"

"From my pa, at first. Past that, I just picked it up on my own."

"Wow. No matter where you are, you'll never lack for food."

"From yer lips to Naga's ears!" he laughed for a moment, and she smiled. "'Sides, I couldn't see my dream through if I weren't able to get on anywheres."

"What dream is that?" Lissa asked curiously. She knew that he had wanted to be a Shepherd, but was there more to it than that?

"To travel the world lookin' for the secret to this stone my pa gave me. Was his dream too, back before…" Donnel faltered for a moment as a dark scene flashed in his mind. "Well, when he was still alive. So I'm fixin' to do it for him."

Lissa wanted to see what the stone was, but she dared not ask him to reveal something that personal to him. "That's wonderful, Donny," she said with a gentle smile. "You make me really want to knuckle down and buckle down on my own dream."

"You got a dream, Lissa?"

"Hey, why do you sound so surprised?"

"Wh-what?" Donnel wondered why she was upset all of a sudden. "Naw, I didn't mean it that way at all!"

Lissa pretended to glare at him for another moment before softening her face into a weak smile. "My dream is to become a true lady like my sister, Emmeryn."

Seeing how much stress mentioning her sister brought her, Donnel dropped his arm around her shoulders and gave her an encouraging hug. "Well, I reckon you'll get there eventually."

"Eventually?" Something in Lissa's voice made Donnel back away a few paces.

"Er, real soon, I mean! Like tomorrow! I knows ya will!" When Lissa gave him a blank look, he tried one more time. "Gosh, I can see it now. I bet you'll be the prettiest lady of them all! Wearin' big dresses and dancin' at them fancy balls…" He blushed as he realized that he had said more than he had intended.

Lissa saw his sincerity in this, and she asked curiously, "You really think so?"

Emboldened by this, Donnel grinned and moved to gather up the animals as he said, "Heck, I know so! Prettiest lady in the whole dang world, see if you ain't!"

For the first time since the Exalt had been taken, Lissa couldn't help but giggle. "Thanks, Donny." Then they completed the rest of their chore in companionable silence, breaking it only to point out some of the wildlife that caught their eye.

Over breakfast that morning in his private pavilion, Chrom finally addressed Frederick on a manner that had been troubling him for some time now: the risqué posters in his image. Once Frederick was fully aware of embarrassed Chrom had been about the whole business, he felt no end to his shame.

"My deepest apologies, milord," he said for perhaps the fiftieth time. "Had I known you'd run from tent to tent, rending the posters, I never would have-"

"Gods, I've never been so embarrassed in all my days!" Chrom interrupted. "My sister nearly pulled a muscle laughing!" Seeing that Frederick intended to leave, he grasped him by the shoulder, not unkindly, and added, "Listen, Frederick. We need to talk."

Once they were both seated, Chrom said in a firm tone, "I know everything you do is for my sake, and I appreciate it. But it's…" He stumbled for a moment over which words to use. "Well, at times, it's a little extreme. And other times, it's damn near traumatic! I'm a grown man, Frederick, and I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself."

For a moment, Frederick was too stunned to speak. Then, "'Tis not my place to doubt your capability, milord, but I've duties as a knight. If anything were to happen to you or Lissa, I couldn't…" He almost mentioned Emmeryn as well, but thought better of it before finishing, "I don't know if I could stand it."

"But do you see the difference between being a knight and being a nanny?" Chrom's voice was neutral, but the words stung his friend- mostly because he was starting to understand why Chrom was so upset. Still…

"I'm sorry milord, but I would risk your embarrassment rather than forsake my duty." Frederick had always been rather stubborn.

But so was Chrom. "Fine," he growled, his patience exhausted. "Fine! Let's try this again. Let's pretend you're 'milord', and I'm your loyal knight." Before Frederick could argue that Chrom was just acting silly, the prince continued, "Now, let's say you sneeze. Just one little sneeze… Suddenly I come rushing up to you with blanket and tea in hand! Or let's say you make an off-hand remark about how fish sounds good… And I ride across two mountains to a freezing river to secure dinner! Or, heavens preserve us, let's suppose you look tired, or perhaps even yawn… So I bring a parade of increasingly arcane herbal cures to your tent for the next hour! How would that make you feel?"

Chrom's voice and color had raised in volume continuously during his rant, until the point where he was close to shouting. It was as angry and frustrated as Frederick had ever seen his liege. "Milord, I…" the knight hesitated, then finally gave in. "I would be enraged, milord. And humiliated." _Gods, it's a wonder he's let me be his bodyguard for this long!_

"You see?" Chrom asked, his voice back to normal. "At some point, such assistance becomes a burden. I respect your sense of duty as a knight, but you must be sane about it! You waste too much time and energy on my sister and myself, and it saddens us."

The prince let it all sink in for a moment before he finally struck upon what he had been trying to get at all along. "If you want to make _us_ happy, take some time for yourself. Relax! Enjoy your life!"

For a long, long moment, neither friends said anything. But this time, Frederick was the one to break the awkward silence. "Is that an order, sire?" he asked in a small voice.

Chrom sighed and leaned back in his seat. "If it was," he said, "I've no doubt you would obey without question. But that would defeat the point." Looking at his friend in the eyes, he said solemnly, "It's not an order, Frederick. It's a request. From one friend to another."

"Milord…" The knight paused, then nodded his assent. "Very well. If it is your wish, I shall limit my actions to a bare minimum. I apologize for any trouble my efforts may have caused until now."

"Thanks for understanding," his lord said with evident relief. "And for your dedication."

"It is my pleasure to serve, milord. Er, that is… within reason."

Chrom was about to tease Fredrick some more when he heard Robin's signal that it was time to pack up camp again. "Frederick," he said as the knight turned to leave.

"Yes, milord?" the man asked as he turned around.

"See if you can help Lissa with her things a bit, if Donny hasn't yet. They went to get breakfast this morning, so they may be a bit behind."

"Yes, milord," said Frederick with a delighted smile.

While the others marched along in the main group, Sully and Vaike were scouting ahead for possible dangers. It was here that Vaike voiced his bewilderment. "C'mon, Sully," he begged. "Help ol' Teach out here. Why can't I ever win the girl? I've got devilish good looks, the strength of an ogre, and the charm of a fancy noble!"

Sully had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing. After she managed to gain control of herself, she managed to say, "Well, one of those is true… Sort of."

When he gave her a puzzled look, she said, "I suppose you can handle an axe, even if I'm better with a sword. Our last match was pretty damn even until you decided we should arm wrestle." Again, she had to hide a smile. "So, yes, I'll admit that you're strong. Not bright, mind you, but strong."

"Ninety-eight… Ninety-nine… One hundred!" Before Sully could ask why he was counting, she noticed that he had been lifting a large piece of rock while she had been talking. "Er, sorry," he said when he noticed her gaze. "What was that last bit? Hard to hear you over these bicep curls…"

Before Sully could repeat herself, Vaike tossed the rock aside and said, "Anyway, ya gotta help me out here, Sully! Ya just gotta! Look at these arms!" And he flexed, showing biceps as big a child's head. "Just look at 'em! I mean, what else does a lady want?"

"Gods be damned, but you are thick," Sully growled. "How about being kind? Or thoughtful?!"

"Er, what would a girl want that stuff for?"

Sully sighed dispassionately, on the verge of asking Robin if she could change battle partners. "Look," she said. "If you ask me, I'd want a man with ideals. One who wants to better himself. If I'm going to spend the rest of my life with someone, I have to respect him."

Vaike laughed loudly and exclaimed, "That's me up and down! Heck, I joined the Shepherds 'cause of my ideals."

Vaike's comment stirred a forgotten question within Sully. Turning her head to look at Vaike as he scanned the rolling hills for danger, she said, "Now that you mentioned it, you never did tell me why you're fighting for Chrom." When he said nothing, she prodded, "So? Out with it. What made you sign up?"

The muscular fighter turned to face her with a huge grin as he said, "I wanted to be the greatest warrior in all the realm!"

"No, idiot. I'm asking why you wanted to be a great warrior in the first place."

Vaike raised his eyebrows. "Well, it's a bit of a tale, but you need more Teach-talk that bad, eh? Well, all right…

"I grew up poor in this podunk little village where I was famous for never losin' a fight. Local kids latched on to me, and before I knew it, I had my own little gang. Course, we were just a bunch of ne'er-do-wells as far as the adults were concerned…" Vaike smiled as he remembered those long-ago days.

"What a surprise," Sully grinned.

"So one day," Vaike said, his eyes shining now. "Emmeryn herself came to our little corner of the world, and she said, 'I seek to bring prosperity and equality to all the people of Ylisse!' Well, that struck a nerve. Soon as I heard it, I knew what my mission was."

"To forsake your misspent youth, join the Shepherds, and fight for social justice?" Sully asked hopefully.

"Er, yeah, that!" Vaike agreed. "That was it exactly! What you just said!" Under her piercing glare, however, Vaike said, "Okay, maybe not the _exact_ words I used, but…" He stopped talking as she continued to stare him.

"Vaike?" she said. "You may not be such a complete moron after all. You might even, dare I say it? …Deserve some respect?"

"That's the Vaike, man of your dreams, right here, reporting for d-"

"No, I stand corrected," Sully interrupted. "No respect warranted. None, whatsoever."

"Awwwwww!"Vaike whined. He was about to say something else when Panne flew past him several feet away. "What the hell has that rabbit running?" he muttered.

The answer came in the form of Lon'qu, who came running after her with a small sack. Sully and Vaike watched as the two warriors of Ferox and Taguel engaged in what seemed to be a game of 'tag'. Both of them laughed at the sight.

Panne crouched, panting heavily beside a larger hill. She had been at this all day, and the rest of the small army was surely setting up shelter by now, seeing as the sun was nearly set. But she would have to wait and plan a way to get back undetected. "I should be safe now…" she gasped. "There's no way he could track me out-"

"Hold." It was the Feroxi's voice, hard, flat, and cold.

"Gah!" she exclaimed, leaping backwards. "You are no ordinary man… Enough of this game. Tell me what you want and leave me be!" She started to go closer to him, but the man flinched as if stuck.

"Do not come near me!" he barked.

"Stay away from _you_?" Panne hissed. "What do you think I've been trying to do all day, you ignorant man-spawn?"

"I found this bag," Lon'qu replied tightly. He held up a sack that Panne easily recognized. "It's full of weeds… or something."

"That's my bag." Panne was surprised, for more than one reason.

"I know. You dropped it near the camp."

"Is that why you chased me over hill and dale?" Lon'qu nodded once. "Why didn't you just tell me?"

The warrior flushed and he muttered, "Yes, well. When I saw your face, I became paralyzed with fear. And then you fled before I had a chance to explain."

"Bah. This is insulting," Panne snapped, her features and voice going hard.

She swept past him to rejoin the others. "Wait- don't forget your weeds!" she heard him say. But she did not turn back or cease her stride. "I don't want them, or the bag. They are yours now." And she left him there.

"Blast," he muttered angrily. "What am I supposed to do with these?" A strange thought occurred to him, then. "Hmm… I wonder if they taste good?" He bit into one. It did not take him long to realize his foolishness. "Blegh!" he spat. "A poor idea."

Muttering angrily to himself, he stalked back to camp, cursing his weakness concerning women. He wondered why in the world Robin had partnered him with the taguel. True, he was capable of overcoming his fear on the battlefield, but only then. Was the Ylissean trying to get him to overcome his fear? Either way, he wanted nothing more than to have the tactician within the range of his practice sword for placing him in such an uncomfortable position.

Robin was in Chrom's pavilion with the bearer of the Fire Emblem, as well as Frederick. "Are you certain that these manipulations are wise, Robin?" Frederick asked.

"I asked you not to call them that," the tactician said sharply. "And yes, I do. By placing a pair together, they force themselves to trust each other when in life-or-death situations. Then, when the horrors of the battlefield are finished with, they have someone with in whom they can confide. We all need friends in times like these, and by having the same people work together, their friendships deepen."

"That's not what I heard happened between Lon'qu and Panne," Frederick objected, and Chrom laughed at the memory of the angry-yet-silent sword master.

Robin spread his hands in a 'see-what-I-mean' gesture. "By having him work with Panne, another warrior of rare skill, he is not only able to trust her- even if it be unconsciously- on the battlefield, he is also getting a chance to overcome his fear of the opposite gender."

"It's still manipulative," Frederick argued.

"Then I really don't mind being manipulated," stated Chrom. When Frederick gave a bewildered look, he turned to Robin and said, "That's why you kept pairing me with Sumia, isn't it?"

"Aye," said Robin with the ghost of a smile. "The only way she would give it her all is if she could keep fighting alongside you- especially after what happened at the Longfort." The two men smiled at the memory.

Frederick was still unhappy about the way that Robin was forging relationships between the soldiers. "Look, Frederick," Robin said, almost as though he had read the knight's mind. "It's not as though I put people together for my own amusement. I only do so when I think that they have a good chance of working well together. Take Sully and Vaike for example. Both of them are determined to be the best warrior in the world. Knowing this, they can goad themselves and each other to accomplish their dreams.

"Also, I have, without fail, made rearrangements whenever a pair of people cannot work well together whether because of their incompatible abilities or personalities- like when I had to switch Miriel from Virion to Stahl. Both of them were too erratic in different ways to work together well, whereas Stahl has a more accepting personality."

Frederick could see the logic, but he still didn't totally approve. He thought it was too cold and calculated. Then again, if Chrom thought that this was the way to do things, then who was he to disagree?

"Very well…" he sighed. "Who am I being assigned to work with?"

"I'm putting you with Cordelia," said Robin.

"Why?"

"Because she needs someone to help her remember why she fights. The loss of her comrades has left her… Unstable, or so I gather. And no one is better at giving reasons than you, Frederick the Relentless."

The knight was silent for a moment. Then he gave one last argument; "With all due respect, if you understand Cordelia so well, why don't _you_ align yourself with her?"

Robin thought carefully before he answered the question. "Because," he said slowly, "I have too many obligations to commit my attention to any one person right now. Perhaps in the future, when I am more familiar with everyone, and more of my memories have returned, then I will find someone with whom to partner myself. For now, his highness Einherjar Marth will do." Then he looked down at his papers and waved his hand in a clear sign of dismissal for Frederick, much to the latter's annoyance.

"Good night, sir," he said. Then he left the tent to go on his nightly rounds.

When he had, Chrom said in a low voice, "Thanks for the help. I owe you for keeping Cordelia away from me."

"No problem," Robin said with a grin. "I know you and Sumia are doing well, and that she and Cordelia have been best friends for a long time. Keeping her away from you was the best way to avoid any… awkward situations."

"That, and you really didn't want to pair up with him, did you?"

"Chrom, my 'magic card' has a better sense of humor than Frederick!"


	12. The Grimleal

The Grimleal

They crossed the border and travelled for two days into Plegia without incident- a fact that worried Robin and Chrom immensely. The prince finally put their feelings into words when they stopped while scouting for their troops. "I'd like to believe it's our cunning that got us this far without being spotted…" He paused.

Robin nodded his agreement as his keen eyes surveyed the blasted landscape. Plegia was mostly desert, relying on its rich mines to purchase food and other supplies from Valm, the country that Virion hailed from.

"But we've seen too little of the Plegian Guard," Chrom continued. "Where are they? Whatever trap Gangrel has planned, he is no hurry to spring it." Robin was about to say something, but a cloud of dust hit him in the face from a gust of wind.

When he cleared his eyes, he saw Frederick approaching, his countenance grim. ""Milord, our scouts report some manner of engagement downfield," he said.

"Understood," Chrom replied. "Get everyone ready to move."

The knight nodded and turned to go before he added, "These desert sands are sure to bog down our units, milord. Only mages and fliers will be likely to proceed unhindered."

Chrom's face screwed up in thought, but Robin was way ahead of him, already imagining what kind of tactics he would need to employ with several of his units being slowed down as such. Chrom saw the look and chuckled to himself. "Good point," he said to Frederick. "I'll keep it in mind. Robin, let's discuss strategy."

Downfield, a small woman- no bigger than a child, really- of exceptional beauty was out of breath from running, her nearly-bare feet were burning from the hot sand, and her legs were aching. She stopped and all but collapsed amongst a jumbled pile of rocks.

She gasped for breath and sighed, "Have… Have I lost him?"

"Wait, I say!" called out a thickly accented voice. "Why you no comprehending, wee one?" Then the man chasing her appeared above her head on the rocks.

"AUGH! GET AWAY!" she screeched. "Everyone just leave me ALONE!"

The man leapt down to land beside her and clamped a beefy hand over her mouth. "Please, be keeping down with the voice!" he whisper-shouted. "You give away position! Very bad!"

The girl managed to pull his hand away and yelled, "My throat is dry, my shoes are full of sand, and some big weirdo is trying to KILL ME!"

To her surprise, the mercenary gave her a genuinely hurt look and said, "Oy, you break Gregor's heart! Why you treat like villain?"

The two of them heard the sound of a sword being drawn, and an authoritative voice saying, You there! Fiend! Keep your hands off that maiden!"

They looked up to see an Ylissean in fine armor with a powerful blade and shield. The mercenary was shocked to realize that he was talking to him. "Who is fiend?" he said, making a point of letting the girl go. "You mean Gregor? No, friend! You have idea wrong!"

A new face joined the warrior's- a young blond lady. "Yeah right!" Lissa said as she beheld the scene. "Creep!"

"This day has been nothing but insults and punches to groin," Gregor muttered. "And all for doing good deed! Listen, friend! Gregor only want to-"

"Gotcha, you slippery little scamp!" A harsh voice called out that made the little girl instinctively crouch and grimace. "Prepare for a dose of Grima's wrath."

Gregor also seemed afraid. Looking accusingly at Chrom, he said, "Oh, this is most terrible! Do you see now? They make with the catching of us!"

"Why are you all after the girl?" Chrom's voice was like iron.

"All?" Gregor was insulted. "What is this 'all'? Gregor is not one of 'all'! Look close! Maybe you not see from so far? Gregor have innocent-baby face!"

Another Ylissean looked over the rocks- a blond male this time, dressed in a purple and gold cloak. "Yeah…" he said sarcastically. "Not sure 'innocent baby' is how I'd describe it."

"Gah!" Gregor spat. "Never be minding! Gregor is not enemy! You must believe!"

"This is making my head hurt," Chrom muttered. "We'll sort him out later. Right now, we need to protect the girl."

The small girl looked up at the regal figure with surprise. "Y-you're going to help me?"

"Yes. We'll do everything in our power to keep you safe. Just hold on until we can reach you, and we'll drive them off!" He pointed with his sword at the owner of the harsh voice, who was being followed by several dozen other men, all of them dressed in red attire that resembled woven blood.

The Shepherds began scrambling down the rocks, trying to get to the girl before the Plegians did. From what Robin knew of them based upon their attire, these enemies were dabblers in dark magic. As a scholar on the side of light, Robin found their practices abhorrent.

He deployed his two Pegasus Knights first, along with their partners in order to draw the enemy fire. He waited until the hexes began to swirl around them before launching his own magical arsenal.

Fire, lightning, and wind all rained down on the sorcerers, breaking up their concentration, and giving the Shepherds the time that they needed to get in close with their weapons. The only ones to remain on the cliffs were the magic users and Virion.

Robin even let the Einherjar-Marth loose on his own, and the man was magnificent in battle. Even when four magicians ambushed him, he was victorious, dodging their attacks so that they ended up striking each other instead of him.

Still, despite the swiftness with which the battle was proceeding, Robin was painfully aware of how it was costing them time- Emmeryn was due to be executed within the next week, and while they were still ahead of schedule, they could not afford many more delays.

Then he heard the girl shriek behind him. Robin cursed as he saw that some of the sorcerers had managed to flank him. Before he could cast any magic, though, the girl screamed, "GET AWAY FROM ME!" Then there was blinding flash of energy that seemed somehow familiar.

When he looked away, he saw Panne in her animal form, fighting alongside Lon'qu. That's when he realized where he had seen the energy flashes before- the girl must be another taguel!

He was about to call out to the female warrior, when a roar shook the rocks from where the girl had been. Robin watched, mouth agape, as a green-and-yellow dragon flew out from the crevice to smite her enemies with fire.

"What in blazes?!" he gasped. Calling out to Chrom, he shouted, "This girl is a dragon!"

Chrom looked back to see the magnificent beast and his jaw also dropped. "By the gods," he cried. "She's a manakete! I never thought I'd see one!"

"Ha!" Robin laughed. "Perhaps she doesn't need our help as much as we could use hers!" Then he paused. Something was out of place. Like Chrom, Robin had a sixth sense that let him know that not all was right with the world. And now that instinct was warning him of-

He leaped backwards, nearly losing his footing on the rocks and plummeting to his death. The other spell casters shouted in concern and alarm, but he waved them back. Glaring at the spot where he had been standing, he saw someone materialize seemingly out of nothing.

_Teleportation magic- possible only by the use of a staff, and not even many staff users can do it correctly,_ he thought to himself. He opened his book to cast an Elthunder spell that would blow the cloaked intruder to bits, should they prove hostile.

Then the harsh voice that had tormented the manakete girl came from the hooded man. "You dare defy Grima, god of annihilation?" he hissed. _Grima, the fell dragon?_ Robin thought with alarm.

He needed no further provocation. Telling the others to get clear of the rocks, he lashed out with lightning magic, only to be countered by a burst of dark magic. Robin was about to immediately retaliate, when his mind was flooded with images that seemed like a dream become memory…

"_HRRRAAAAAAGH!" Chrom let loose his war cry as he charged and swung Falchion in a murderous arc towards his enemy's neck, only to have it blocked by a pulse of lightning magic. Sparks flew as the sacred sword collided with the demonic energies. The other man's eyes gleamed red as he exchanged a quick series of blows with his close-range magic, finally giving some ground…_

The images faded, but not in time for Robin to avoid being knocked high into the air with a blast of powerful fire magic. He screamed as he was thrown from the rocks by the burning impact. The ground began rushing up to meet him when…

Impact! But not from the ground. No, Robin had been caught by the dragon girl, several dozen yards above the ground. The impact dislocated his arm and leg, but at least he was alive. All of which still did not prevent him from letting out a stream of incoherent curses from the combined pain.

Even as he was deposited in the dust to be ministered to by Maribelle, he tried to sort what had happened up on the rocks. _Was that a memory?_ He thought as the staff began repairing his leg. _It seemed like it… But wait, if that was true, and I was fighting alongside Chrom, why didn't he recognize me when he found me in the field? Or was that maybe…_

He cursed as his leg popped back into place. His reward was a knock on the head with the healer's staff, and lecture about foul language as she moved onto his arm. This time he held his tongue while she worked, and instead tried to focus on the fragment- he did not know whether to call a memory, a premonition, or a… He just didn't know.

The battle didn't last for very long, and Robin was eager to get moving again. But there was a small-yet-large matter that had to be resolved first.

"This is just the worst. Day. EVER!" the manakete cried. She had changed back into human form after she had dropped off Robin and named herself as Nowi. Now by all appearances, she looked like a frightened little girl.

"Good grieving," Gregor grumbled. "Ho now, wee one! Do not make with the crying of tears. The evil people are now dead people. This is good, no?"

Nowi stopped crying abruptly and looked around at the scene. Then a smile slowly lit up her pretty face, though it was still marred by tear tracks. "You… You're right," she said. "Th-thank you. And… I'm sorry I was so mean to you earlier. I just get nervous around people who are… outside my age group."

"What?" Gregor exclaimed, feeling like he had been given a backhanded compliment. "Your age group? Ha! Gregor much closer to your age group than others here!" The others were lost, but Chrom felt that right now was not the time to be discussing age groups.

"Say, um…" The giant mercenary turned to listen to the prince. "Gregor, was it? Do you mind looking after her? We need to press on."

The big man thought about the proposal for a moment. Then he shook his head and said, "Gregor is mercenary, yes? Maybe you hire Gregor instead. True, Gregor just finish killing former employers, but still very reliable! So long as you not try to hurt little girl, Gregor will not hurt you. Also, Gregor need steady income. …Many angry former employers."

"You're a sellsword?"

"Yes!" Gregor laughed. "Very swell sword! Cost performance very high. You have Gregor's word." Chrom looked over at Robin. The tactician shrugged. Chrom turned back to Gregor with a look of resignation.

"Sure, why not?" he said. "You're hired."

"But!" the manakete cried. "But what about me? I WON'T go back on the auction block!"

Lissa gasped. "Wait. You've been sold? Like a… like a slave?!"

"To men more despicable than you can possibly imagine." Robin winced at the girl's words. _Her life must have been awful._ "They made me transform for them… They drank and laughed and called out tricks…" The girl shuddered, her long blond hair rippling like a stream.

"What kind of scumbags buy and sell a little girl?!" Lissa was furious. "Even if she can turn into a dragon!"

"She may be little, milady," said Frederick with a raised eyebrow. "But not nearly so young as you might think. Manaketes live a very long time."

"Really?" Lissa asked with surprise. "How old are you?"

"Oh, I dunno," the girl said nonchalantly. "A thousand… something? But look! No wrinkles!" As she and Lissa began to talk excitedly, Frederick turned to Robin.

"The dragonkin are said to be more resilient than men. Nowi would make a strong ally," he said in an undertone. "Besides, we can't risk her falling back into the hands of the Grimleal."

"Beg pardon," Robin frowned at the unfamiliar term, though he assumed it had something to do with the men that they had just fought. "But who are the Grimleal?"

"Followers of the fell dragon, Grima," Frederick said in hard voice. "The selfsame dragon the first exalt defeated a thousand years ago. Even today there are some who yearn for the fiend's return."

"I… see," Robin said. _Could this fell magic have something to do with the fragment I saw? _He wondered silently.

"Well, shall we get some rest?" Khan Flavia asked. "We're almost to the Plegian capital. We'll need all our strength, soon enough." Robin looked up at the sky and nodded reluctantly. He wanted to keep moving, but he knew that after a battle, all his men really needed was some rest and hot food.

He nodded his agreement and began taking inventory, including several items that interested him from the corpses of their dead enemies. One in particular was a strange golden object trimmed with red gems that resembled a royal seal. The only thing was, the object was fist-sized and bore no markings to which imprint upon any wax.

He knew not its function, nor did any of the other magic users, so he put in his personal baggage for later inspection. The only other things that he kept were the dark magic tomes- he did not want his comrades using them until he had declared them safe.

The dark arts were powerful indeed, as he had seen, but without proper training, it could just as easily kill the user as the target. Also, some magics were worse than others, and he would not see the Ylissean Shepherds using the ones that required bloodshed, or other such spells.

Nowi skipped happily through the makeshift camp, smiling at each of her new friends. She was overjoyed that after so many decades of slavery, she was finally free. Now she just needed to find the one responsible for her freedom.

When she found Gregor she smiled and called out, "Heya, gramps!"

"Gramps?" Gregor snorted to feign insult. "What is this 'gramps'? If Gregor is 'gramps', then little girl is great-great-great-great-granny." He smiled a trifle maliciously as he spoke, knowing that he had scored a verbal hit. Most people didn't know it, but Gregor was nearly as smart as Robin when it came to reading people.

"So you know how old I am, huh?" Nowi muttered, seeming to forget that she had told everyone earlier that day. "Weird. Most people can't stop talking about how young I look."

"Nonsense!" Gregor chuckled. "Is just, how you say, flatulence? No, wait…" The big man paused, searching for the word in the common tongue, but unable to do so. "…Flippery? …Flatness? …Gregor does not remember. Is that word when people say lies to make other person feel better."

Nowi shrugged and said, "No idea what you're talking about. Anyway, I have something to ask you."

"If you want borrow money, answer is no. Gregor is poor like beggar."

"Yes, I know that," Nowi said with a wink. "That's why I want to give you something."

Gregor was no less than surprised. "You give Gregor shiny gold coin?" he asked hopefully.

"No, Chrom doesn't let me have any money. I told him I always end up losing it."

"Agreed! Gregor too is sooner trusting senile squirrel with life savings!" Gregor said this as he remembered how many time Nowi had been punished for losing grocery money. There were a lot of memories.

"Hey, for your information, I happen to be quite smart!" Nowi protested. "I just don't care about money, is all. Us manaketes don't use it much."

"Ah, is very good!" Gregor laughed. "Money is root of evil. So then, what you give Gregor?" He leaned forward in anticipation of his gift.

Nowi reached into the pouch where she normally kept her dragon stones and pulled out a large garment. "I knitted you a big, wooly sweater!" she said brightly. "See? It's got big shoulder pads built in!"

Despite his surprise at the speed of which she had made the sweater- a matter of hours- Gregor could not help but be disappointed by the way it looked. "Now this looks like 'gramps' clothing," he said doubtfully. "Also, Gregor is no good in sweater. Is too hot, yes?"

"Yeah, but this one is really light," Nowi assured him. "It really breathes! I lined it with manakete scales."

Gregor's jaw dropped as he felt the inside of the garment and realized that Nowi was right. "Scale of manakete?" he gasped. "Gregor is stunned. How are you finding such priceless artifacts?"

"See?" Nowi teased. "I thought you'd be impressed. I just had some lying around, so don't worry about it."

"Then Gregor accepts wonderful gift with much gratitude!" He began putting on the sweater, marveling at how it felt as though nothing were being added to his clothing.

Nowi giggled and said, "Glad you like it." Then she skipped away, happy as could be.

Robin was still examining the seal when he heard someone knocking at the entrance. "Come in," he said as he put the object under his bed. Chrom strode in just in time to see the motion and gave his tactician a tired grin.

"What do you have there?" he asked.

"I'm not entirely sure, but I was hoping to do some more research on it when we get back to Ylisstol," Robin said as he pulled the item back out. He held it up for the prince to see, and was surprised when his friend seemed to recognize it.

"It's a good thing that the Grimleal didn't manage to use this!" Chrom exclaimed. "They could have wreaked a great deal more havoc if they had."

"What is that thing?" Robin's curiosity was greatly aroused. "Is it magical?"

"Aye, and one of the most powerful kinds at that," Chrom said. "These seals have never been given an official name, but there are two kinds. This golden one can increase your abilities to their maximum potential as well as grant you new ones in a matter of seconds instead of years.

"The other kind in silver in color, and trimmed with blue. It doesn't increase your power, but it can give you the power to change your skills entirely."

"How so?" Robin was completely engrossed in Chrom's explanation.

"Well, let's say that I wanted to be able to ride a horse as well as Frederick does, as well as being able to wield other kinds of weapons. The silver seal would allow me to do so. But if I wanted to increase my current abilities, I would use a golden seal."

"Fascinating…" Robin stared at the seal in his hand, well and truly fascinated that such a small object could contain so much power. "How are they made? And how rare they?"

Chrom's eyes bent downward as he pondered the questions. "How they are made, I couldn't tell you," he said. "But their rarity could be compared to finding diamonds in a coal mine- it's not unheard of, but it's rather unlikely to occur."

Robin nodded, filing the information away for later. "Fascinating," he repeated. "I'll get to research their origins when we get home- thank you for your help on the matter, by the way.

"But now that we've wasted enough time on me, what about you? What did you wish to discuss with me?"

Chrom shifted awkwardly on his seat, and his voice lowered so that Robin had to lean forward on his cot to hear his friend. "I'm scared, Robin."

The tactician shook his head sadly and his shoulders slumped. "I know," he said. "I am too. Like the khan said, I bear the weight of our lives on one shoulder, and Emmeryn's life on the other one. I feel as though I'm about to buckle."

For a long moment, neither of them spoke. Then Chrom asked, "Tell me as one friend to another, not as subject to ruler: are we going to win this war?"

"Yes and no," Robin replied. "I know we can win the battles. But when it's all over, and we are forced to count the costs… I'm not sure which side will have won, Chrom. From one friend to another, I just don't know."

"Uncertainty is not exactly becoming of a prince and his chief tactician, eh?" Chrom muttered with a humorless chuckle. "Especially in the middle of an all-out war."

"All of life is uncertain," Robin replied. "Only death is an absolute, which sets it apart from life. One of the few things we can control is how we are remembered after death by the way we live. And by the gods, I'll see to it that if nothing else, the Shepherds were remembered as those that fought their best to the end. _That_ I can promise you, my friend."

Chrom nodded, satisfied with his answer. "I'll hold you to that."


	13. Emmeryn

Emmeryn

Sully's fingers tightened around the shaft of her spear. Tension had her belly coiled into knots, although she would never admit it to anyone. The day was nearly at hand for the Shepherds to save their Exalt, and their country.

It was well before dawn, and the camp was nearly packed. Sully had been given the last night watch before dawn, but she did not feel the lure of a repose. Not today. Too much was at stake for her to be wishing for a nap.

"Hey-ho! Sully! Just the gal I was hopin' to see! Got a question for ya." Vaike's voice startled Sully, and in her keyed-up state, she nearly whipped around and ran him through with her weapon.

Yet she somehow found the willpower to stifle her reflexes and say, "What is it? I'm busy." Her voice was as cold as the desert night.

"Why did _you_ sign up for the Shepherds?" he asked simply. The question caught her off-guard, and for a moment, she was at a loss for words. Nothing Vaike had said so far had indicated that he thought about anyone other than himself.

Seeing her reaction, Vaike smiled and said, "I told ya my story, remember? Now you gotta tell me yours. Fair's fair!"

Sully chuckled humorlessly and simply said, "My story's dull… I joined so I could become a knight."

"Aw, come on!" Vaike protested. "You're havin' me on!"

"You got a problem?!" Sully prepared to reverse her spear's position so that she could hit Vaike safely if need be.

"No," Vaike answered, his beefy arms spread in a placating gesture. "It's just… see, I thought you were already a knight."

Sully shrugged in response, relaxing slightly as she did. "I have arms armor and arms, but I have yet to undergo the formal ceremony…" Her shoulders slumped further in disappointment.

"Ah, I see," Vaike chuckled. "So you're gonna go cover yourself in glory here with us Shepherds… Maybe catch Chrom's eye and earn yourself a knighthood?"

"Nah, not quite. I was born into a long line of knights. My house and all that crap. This title will be mine by inheritance when the time comes. I could spend my life eating grapes from a damn silver bowl and still be called 'sir'!"

"Er, so then why-" Vaike began, but Sully cut him off with fire in her eyes.

"Because then there's no honor in accepting something you haven't earned! A knight shouldn't just be lucky enough to be born some damn noble! A knight has duties… responsibilities. 'A knight is brave and true, aids all in need, and defends the weak from evil'.

"I can't uphold that oath without honing my skills. Suffering hardship. All of that. How can I know courage if I don't face bloody death a bunch of times? I'll fight for the Shepherds until I've damn well _earned_ the title of knight!"

"Criven's horn, that's a rousing speech!" Vaike exclaimed. His eyes were alight with new admiration for his partner.

Sully flushed slightly and muttered, "Oh please, I'm not trying to… It just means a lot to me is all. I don't get to talk about it much. I'm sorry if I bored you…"

"Bored?!" Vaike scoffed. "Ain't _nothin'_ boring about you, Sully. In fact the Vaike hasn't been this excited since the Exalt came to visit my li'l ol' town!"

"Really?" Sully was no less than surprised- again.

"Cross my heart and hope to… Okay, well, just cross my heart. 'Cause I realized something, Sully: you an' me should duel more often!" When Sully cocked her head, not understanding, Vaike smiled wolfishly. "You wanna be a knight amongst knights, and I wanna be a warrior's warrior. Seems we could help each other out!"

Sully tapped her spear on the ground a couple of times pointedly before saying, "Hmm… Don't expect me to go easy on you. It'll hurt. …Maybe a lot."

"Bring it on!" The axman grinned. "The Vaike can take it!"

"_After_ we've rescued the Exalt,"Sully said firmly.

"Right," Vaike subsided. "After we grab Emmeryn."

Aversa sighed, impatient and bored. "So, Captain," she purred. "Let me be certain I understand your report… Not only did you _not_ confirm that the Ylissean party carries the Fire Emblem… But you can't be certain Prince Chrom is even among them? …Is that the gist of it?"

"Y-yes, milady!" The soldier was sweating hard enough to drench his clothes, even in the cool morning air. "The air was thick with sand- even their number was difficult to ascertain."

"Perhaps if you had gotten closer, Captain," Aversa said silkily. She began moving towards him with unnaturally smooth strides. "Here, let me show you…"

The man's screams faded as Gangrel walked in. Aversa stood over the man with blood dripping from her glove and the words, "Apology accepted."

"Do try not to kill _all _the soldiers, my dear," Gangrel cackled. "We'll need some for the welcoming party. The Ylisseans will be here soon- Chrom and the Emblem among them, I'm sure. That bleeding-heart prince would never put common sense before his sister!" And he laughed again.

"…And when they arrive?" Aversa asked, already knowing the answer.

"It will be a massacre worthy of their legendary father!"

"The Exalt is to be executed on the morrow," said the Feroxi spy. "I heard it from the king's own lips, sire." His declaration sent murmurs amongst those assembled.

"This is it, then," said Khan Basilio.

"Exactly as you predicted, Robin," Chrom said as he turned to his friend.

"So far, yes," the tactician agreed somberly. _And yet I take little pleasure in it._ "But tomorrow will be the true test."

"Chin up, there!" Flavia asserted. "Show some confidence! It's your thinking that's got us this far." When all Robin did was show her hollow eyes, she continued, "The plan is risky, but only as much is called for."

"It's all right," Chrom agreed. "We'll find a way to see it through, Robin. Don't worry. This time tomorrow, we'll be swapping stories with Emm on the road home."

"I hope you're right," Robin sighed. Then he left to go to his tent.

"_Master Grima, Exalt Emmeryn is to be put to death on the morrow," said Validar. His voice echoed slightly in the surrounding darkness. "Events will soon be back on course."_

_The shadow before him spoke quietly, but whatever it was they said, it seemed to please Validar. "Yes, I never should have doubted the truth of your words," he chuckled menacingly. "The yoke of destiny cannot be cast off! Even as they resist, they write your future with every step, O great one!" His red eyes blazed with pleasure._

"AAAAH!" Robin screamed as he woke, startling Lissa.

"Hey, Robin!" she cried. "What's wrong? Was it a nightmare?"

Robin shook his head, trying to cast off the shadowy images in his head. "Is… that what it was?" he gasped. "Y-yes, it must have been…" Shaking his head again, he looked up at Lissa apologetically. "I'm sorry, what brings you here, Lissa? Was there something you needed?"

Lissa hesitated, torn between helping her friend, and fulfilling her mission. She went with the latter after a moment's thought. "Frederick says it's time to march," she said quietly. "And we can't start the plan without our master tactician."

Emmeryn stood high on a natural rock spire, regal and proud. Behind her was a large executioner with a double-sided axe strapped to his back, befitting his station. Below her were thousands of Plegian citizens, nobles, and warriors, all baying for her blood. To her right, on another spire, though not perilous in height, stood Mad King Gangrel.

And he said, "Good people! Warriors of Plegia! Welcome! Welcome one and all! Your anticipation electrifies the air!" The crowd roared with delight at their king's words. After letting them work themselves up a bit, Gangrel raised his hands for silence.

"We ALL remember the crimes of Ylisse…" he continued. "Would you have their witch-queen answer for them? Here? Today? NOW? YEEEEEEEEEEEES!" he shrieked. "Finally, we will have JUSTICE!"

The man was cackling with glee as his subjects roared their wholehearted approval. Emmeryn, by contrast, was as calm and composed as a millpond after a storm has passed and the water is as a mirror. But in this case, the storm had yet to break.

"EXECUTIONER!" Gangrel roared. "If you would be so kind…" The axman nodded and lumbered forward, raising his axe as he did. Emmeryn still did not move, nor even flinch. If not for her breathing, she could have been the statue of a goddess. The people below were also quiet, holding their breaths in anticipation.

"Flavia!" A familiar voice rang out from the crowd, startling many of the witnesses, and causing the executioner to pause uncertainly.

"I've got him!" another voice called. Then a throwing axe whistled through the air and smote the axman in the side, causing him to fall off of the spire to his certain death.

Emmeryn cast her gaze out among the crowd with renewed interest, even as several figures cast aside their cloaks and the rest of the crowd began to flee. Gangrel also sought for a certain group of figures, and his eyes did not disappoint.

"EVRYONE: NOW!" Robin cried, and the Shepherds charged.

"Take out all of the soldiers first!" added Chrom. "We'll deal with the Mad King later!"

"Oh, will you now?" Gangrel cackled, loud enough to be heard over the rabble of escaping citizens. "We've been expecting you, Little Prince." Bowing over to look at the warriors underneath him, he said in a casual tone, "Men: kill him. Kill his sister. Kill his troops and friends and anyone else you find! KILL THEM AAAAAAAAAALL!" At the end of his rant, he had regained his old, insane persona.

And the Royal Forces of Plegia charged. As they did, Robin looked over at Lissa and said, "Remember what I taught you, and we'll be okay. Got it?"

"I've got it, Robin. Thank you." Lissa smiled nervously but maintained her composure.

"Don't worry Mr. Robin, sir," Donnel said as he brandished his spear. "I'll look after her, just you wait and see!"

Robin chuckled and pulled out his thunder tome. "I know you will, Donny. I know you will. Now let's have at these dastards!" He stretched out his palm and opened his book, all while looking at the foremost squad of Plegians.

Beside him, Lissa reached into her new white robes and pulled out a smaller fire tome. And together, they unleashed lightning-laced fire balls at their enemies as the others charged ahead into the Plegian Castle courtyard. Robin nodded his approval as each blast found its mark. _I knew giving Lissa the seal was the right decision,_ he thought.

The night before, he had approached Lissa with Chrom and had a lengthy discussion with her about her magical abilities. It turned out that although she had a vast wealth of talent- although largely undeveloped- in regards to healing, she had never been tested in the area of battle magics.

In the end, Robin and Chrom explained to her what the golden seal was and what it could do. Robin was the one that made the offer for her to use it, though. He had consulted with Basilio about its workings before speaking to her, and the man knew a surprising amount.

He had explained that Lissa could become either an axe-wielder in addition to her healing abilities, or she could become a powerful sage. The choice would be hers, but either one would allow her use her talents far more quickly than normal training means.

Once Lissa had been told this, she chose to become a Sage like Emmeryn, despite Chrom's inevitable warning that the seal could prove harmful if her soul wasn't strong enough for the changes it would bring.

To that, Lissa said, "If this is the best way for me to help save Emmeryn, I don't give a damn about my own safety. I _will_ help save my big sister."

"You're my sister, too," Chrom had said. But he let her take the seal from Robin. She held it tight and fixed an image of Emmeryn in her head like Robin told her to. When she did, there was a flash of lightning from within her tent, startling several passersby's. Chrom had tried to reach her, but Robin held him back until the energy had finished erupting.

When it did, Lissa sat on her cot, unharmed. In fact, Chrom could have sworn that his sister carried herself better than she ever had before. And for her part, Lissa was eager to try her new skills.

Now she stood alongside Robin, holding her own on the field of battle. She was still grateful that Donnel and he were there with her, but now she felt as though she could stand upon it as a warrior instead of a worry. Now she really could help Chrom.

Elsewhere another magic-wielder of great potential looked upon the battlefield with disdain. _So we're to kill or die here, simply because the king commands it?_ She thought as she looked at the carnage around her. _What do I care of these Ylisseans? We're given no reason to fight, only orders. What's the point?_

The sorceress began walking slowly towards the line of combat, a dark smile upon her lips and her purple eyes burning with madness. _Besides, I've always been quite good at choosing who to hate on my own._

Libra, priest of the divine dragon Naga swung his heavy axe at three different Plegian soldiers confronting him, and each one fell. Looking up, he saw Emmeryn swaying precariously on her perch.

"Exalt Emmeryn! No!" he cried in his soft voice. "Gods speed me to her side!" And he began running as fast as he could to join Chrom and his Shepherds, his long hair flowing behind him as he did.

Libra had not gone far when a Pegasus Knight and her partner landed a few feet in front of him. The man riding behind the Knight leaped off of the saddle, blade drawn but not hostile. "You there!" said Chrom. "Who are you? Why do you fight alone?"

"Good heavens!" exclaimed the priest. "You're Prince Chrom, brother to Her Grace the Exalt!"

"You know me?" Chrom raised an eyebrow, half-expecting the priest to be like Robin.

"Know you?" the priest seemed nearly insulted by the question. "Of course, sire! All Ylissean clergy do. I must thank the gods for uniting us!" Chrom's other eyebrow went up as Libra actually knelt and began to pray.

"With all due respect," he interrupted, startling Libra. "Now is not the time for prayer- it's action that's called for."

"Ah, too true!" Libra rose and dusted himself off. "We hurried here to help as soon as word came of the execution."

"We? Then there are more of you?"

Libra's pale face became one of sadness. "Alas, there were," he said, putting a slight amount of stress on the last word. "I lost many brave comrades along the way. In truth, I was starting to doubt the purpose of my struggle… But no longer! Pray, sire, let my axe serve you and your party!"

"Your love for my sister is clear," Chrom said after a moment of consideration. "I would be honored to be joined by such a formidable woman of the cloth."

Libra stared at the Prince with a faint trace of amusement from underneath his long, flowing blond hair. "Man, sire," he said. When Chrom did not understand, he added, "Man of the cloth."

Chrom flushed red as he realized his mistake. "You're a… You're not a woman?" Looking at the slightly built figure before him, he could have sworn that Libra was female, what with his long hair and delicate facial features.

"No sir," said the priest. "Women are clerics. I am a priest. Well, technically a war monk, if you care to split hairs…"

"Oh. Yes, well, I'm…" Chrom stuttered, utterly embarrassed. "I didn't mean to imply… Well this is rather awkward."

"Oh, it's all right, sire. You realized your mistake quickly enough. It could have become much more awkward. _Much_ more."

"Right!" Chrom snapped. "Let's stop there."

Robin's fire spell collided with another like it, but his will proved stronger. The fire smote his opponent in the face, and he went down. The book's energies depleted, Robin drew his sword in preparation for combat.

Then he wished he had been more careful with his magic use. Stalking towards him was a sorceress whose eyes burned with power and madness. In her arms, she carried a thick purple tome- advanced dark magic.

Robin gulped nervously but readied himself nonetheless. This woman was the last line of defense before they would be able to get into the courtyard. Gangrel wouldn't have put her there unless she was fully capable of holding her own.

"D'ya want me to have at her?" Donnel asked, although he was clearly frightened by her appearance. "I'll spear her like I do my rabbits for dinner."

"No, don't," Robin said with a curious frown. He had realized that although she clearly had the power to destroy at least one of them where they stood, the woman had yet to cast magic.

"You there!" he said to her. "Are you with the Plegians? You seem reluctant to fight."

"Death comes for all of us eventually," she answered. "Why invite it early, fighting for a cause I don't believe in?"

"So…" Robin hesitated. He knew he had to be careful with what he said here. "I should take that as a no, or…"

"Let's just say I'm keeping my options open," the witch said. "I mean, long live the king and all, but I'd like to keep living as well. I have a bit of a rebellious streak, I'm afraid. A… dark side." A sinister smile crept upon her lips at the last words.

The others that were with Robin tightened their grips on their weapons, but he motioned for them to stay back. "Then perhaps you would rebel now and fight for our cause?" he asked with a trace of a challenging tone.

His offer seemed to take her aback. "You would trust me? What if all of this is just a ploy to plunge a dagger in your back?"

Robin smiled at the reaction. "The Exalt would trust you, I think. And Chrom trusted me when he found me on the side of the road with no alibi. I'm trying to learn from them. Besides, I already need to watch my back, whether you're with us or not."

The woman truly seemed nonplussed. Even her eyes seemed to lose some of their fire. "Interesting…" she mused. "Well, that's odd. Usually whenever I bring up the backstabbing bit the discussion is over." She looked Robin directly in the eyes for a long, tense moment before nodding and saying, "All right then- consider me your new ally. For now."

With the sorceress Tharja having joined them at the front of the battle, the Ylisseans easily battled their way past to the gates, but the way through was shut from within. The two parties quickly reached a stalemate, for the archers could not shoot from the walls without being blasted by magic, and the Ylisseans did not have the raw power that would be required to smash down the solid gates.

Not even Tharja's dark magic could they bring the entrance down, which disappointed the tactician. He had not anticipated the courtyard's guards to be so swift in their lockdown.

While the stragglers began to gather with the frontal assault squad, Robin suddenly had an idea. He quickly sheathed his sword, pulled out a wind tome, and summoned an Elwind spell.

Lissa saw what he was doing and said, "Robin? Even our thunder magics couldn't break those doors. What makes you think that the wind will?"

"It won't," he said as the words of power sprang to life. "And I don't intend to break the door down- I aim to open it."

Chrom rushed over and began to speak, but he was suddenly stopped by a cloud of dust blinding and choking him. As he coughed, he heard Robin's voice call out, "Keep those archers off me!"

Fortunately, only those that were closest to Robin were blinded by the dust. Those further back saw him shoot upward, propelled by a powerful gust of wind to land on the wall, startling the archers.

Virion was the first to react, letting several arrows fly at the guards on the wall. Ricken quickly caught on, and together they managed to keep the archers from shooting at Robin long enough for him to land with bruising impact.

_Ow_, he thought as he stood unsteadily. _That may not have been my best move so far. _He looked around at the incapacitated guards with approval._ Still, I got up here. Now I just need to find the damn door._

He located some stairs to his left and proceeded down them with swift steps. At one point, he ran into some extra guards, but a wind spell knocked them all back down the way that they had come.

From there, he quickly found the controls to open the gates. There were soldiers therein, but he managed to catch most of them by surprise. The few he didn't either fled or begged for mercy. He told them that the only way to live by his hand was to open the gates.

They did so, after having him promise not to tell Gangrel what they had done- their families would suffer terribly if their treachery was discovered. Once the gate was open, he bound them all before knocking them unconscious- it had to look believable.

He rejoined the others quickly enough, many of them wearing smiles of relief and congratulations. The only one that was frowning was Chrom. "That was a blasted fool move," he said when Robin asked what was troubling him. "What would we do if you got killed, or worse, captured?"

"Well, I wasn't, so I suggest we focus on the matter at hand," Robin snapped. He was in no mood to argue, especially after his hard landing on the wall and his three brushes with death since. In all truth, he agreed with Chrom in hindsight, but he was too tense to admit it then.

The Shepherds made short work of the few remaining guards and headed for Gangrel, who was still backed by Aversa and his general.

"You'll never save your precious Exalt, scum!" the commander screamed as soon as they came within a hundred yards.

"Oh, shut up," Robin muttered. Without meaning to, he and Tharja cast their strongest spells simultaneously- he an Elthunder, and she a dark spell called Nosferatu that drained one's life force and granted it to the user.

Even the best of Plegian armor could not stand up to this double bombardment, and the general fell with a choked cry. Robin looked over at the sorceress and nodded his approval. Gangrel cackled at the sight and exclaimed, "Killing him and the others will only feed Plegia's rage!"

Chrom looked up for Sumia and Cordelia as this was happening. When they both gave him the 'all clear' signal, he turned to his tactician. "Robin! Their wyvern riders have fallen! The skies are clear! I'm giving the signal!" Robin nodded quickly, and before Gangrel could guess at their plan, Chrom raised Falchion and called upon its light.

A moment later, the sky was filled with the sounds of Pegasi and their riders- the last of the Pegasus Knights. Cordelia and Sumia were the first ones to land amongst the Shepherds, while their comrades headed for the Exalt.

"Your Grace!" Captain Phila cried as she saw Emmeryn atop the spire.

"Phila!" Emmeryn responded with a relieved smile. "I'm so glad to see you're safe! But how-"

"Khan Basilio's men freed me," she said as she controlled her steed to float next to Emmeryn. "Come, we must hurry!"

Down below, Gangrel was furious. "What?" he growled. "Pegasus Knights? How did they…" Suddenly his gaze latched onto Robin's triumphant smile. "That damned Ylissean tactician does NOT play fair!"

Aversa chuckled softly at her king's antics. "Yes, well," she murmured. "Neither do I." She held out a dark magic tome for the Shepherds to see, and that's when Robin got a sinking feeling in his gut.

Risen monsters suddenly appeared to rise from the ground, all of them armed with wicked-looking bows.

Everyone gasped at the sight. "Risen?! Oh gods, no!" Robin cried. Looking around, he could see them up on the walls, too. "Chrom, there are Risen everywhere!" The prince met his gaze, and Robin saw his own fear reflected there. If the Mad King and his pet could summon the undead, what else were they capable of?

"Damn!" Chrom shouted as he saw where the bows were being pointed- at the Pegasus Knights. "Not now!"

Gangrel roared with laughter, his sides heaving. "Oh, did an army of living corpses just APPEAR out of the blue?!" He laughed. "Truly, the heavens smile upon mighty King Gangrel this day!" And he waved his arm casually at the Pegasus Knights.

"NO!" Robin cried. He cast his magics as fast as he could, urging the others to do the same, but they were not fast enough. A shower of arrows struck the Pegasus Knights, and although Emmeryn was near them, the spire prevented her from being hit from underneath.

Her eyes widened as she saw Phila and her steed fall, both mortally wounded. "Phila!" she screamed. Thus, every Pegasus Knight, save for Cordelia and Sumia were slain that day.

"Exeunt!" Gangrel smiled, eyes gleaming. "Watch how they fall, one by one!"

"No no no…" Robin could only say, over and over. He had failed. All of his plans had come to nothing. Emmeryn was going to die, and so were the Shepherds. It was over.

"We've lost…" Chrom murmured, echoing Robin's sentiment.

"I believe this is what they call a reversal of fortunes," Gangrel said in an unnaturally calm voice. "Now… Grovel before me. Plead! Beg for your worthless lives!"

"I'd give up my life before I'd beg for it from you," Chrom snapped. Many of the Shepherds growled their agreement.

Gangrel only seemed amused by this. "Oh, now _that_ is a good line," he smirked. "A fitting epitaph for your tombstone, perhaps? But it's not just your life in the balance. The Exalt still stands upon the block." His smile widened as he saw the Shepherds pale with fear. "And I have a dozen bows trained on her. All it would take is one word from me…" He left the threat hanging in the air.

Chrom's gaze hardened, and he called up, "Emm! Hold on, I'm-"

"ARCHERS!" The king bellowed. "If this Ylissean pup so much as twitches, let fly your arrows!"

Chrom fixed his hateful gaze on his sister's kidnapper and snarled, "I'll kill you!"

"Go ahead!" Gangrel sneered. "I welcome it. Just know you were responsible for Big Sister's bloody demise! And what of the rest of you? Eh?" He switched his attention to the Shepherds as a whole. "Who wants the honor of killing the Exalt?"

When no one moved, his voice became mocking in nature. "No one? Bah! Your merry band isn't quite so headstrong anymore, is it? Pathetic!" And he spat in their direction.

"Damn you!" Chrom couldn't think of anything else to say, but he needed Emmeryn to know that he wasn't giving up.

"Now, now, my boy- no one needs die today. Not you. Not the Exalt. Not your friends." Gangrel's voice was again deceptively mild. "Just lay down your sword, and give me the Fire Emblem."

Chrom wavered. He knew the Emblem was important, but Emmeryn… Emmeryn had shouldered the responsibilities of ruling a nation in addition to caring for two younger siblings more as a surrogate mother than an older sister. Without her, their family- and many others besides- would still be broken in pieces.

"Chrom!" Robin shouldered his way over to his prince and whispered fiercely, "You can't trust him!"

"Of _course_ I can't trust him!" Chrom snapped, also in lowered tones. "I'm not an idiot! But if I just say no, he'll kill her! The gods are cruel, damn them! My sister or my duty… A problem with no right answer, yet I must choose!"

"Don't give up! There has to be a way…"

"If there is, I can't see it…" Chrom groaned. "Ah, gods!"

"I will count to three!" Gangrel shouted abruptly, startling Chrom and Robin. "Throw down your weapons, or your Exalt becomes the world's largest quiver. One! Two! Thr-"

"Gangrel, hold!" Chrom shouted. He began moving forward, slowly, his sword pointing down. "You win. Everyone, lay down yo-"

"No, wait!" Emmeryn called down.

"SILENCE!" Gangrel screamed at her.

"Emm…" Chrom looked up at his sister, whom had tears in her eyes.

Then she looked over at the King of Plegia. "King Gangrel, is there no hope you will listen to reason?"

"Ugh…" he groaned. "You mean listen to more of your sanctimonious babble?! I think not. No, all I want to hear now is the _thunk _of arrows, and a _splat_ as you hit the ground. Take one last look from your perch. You do so enjoy looking down on people… Then prepare to meet the ground, and your maker!" And he laughed again.

Then he abruptly stopped, and his countenance became angry. "That is, unless someone were to give me the Fire Emblem… NOW!" The Shepherds were all deathly quiet, waiting for Chrom to make his decision. Sumia grasped his hand. Robin put a firm grip on his shoulder.

Just as Gangrel was about to give the order to shoot, Chrom roared, "ALL RIGHT!" Gangrel raised an eyebrow, but did not order his Risen to shoot the Exalt. "All right," he repeated numbly. "Emm, I know you won't approve, but this is my final decision. _Maybe_ someday we'll face a crisis where _maybe_ the Emblem would've helped… But I know for a fact that Ylisse needs you, today! The people need their Exalt…

"And we need our sister," he said as he looked over at Lissa, who was shaking with fear. "If those dark days should come, we'll face them together."

"Chrom." Emmeryn's voice was gentle, yet resolved. "Th-thank you. I know now what I must do…"

Chrom suddenly had a lump in his throat and stone lodged in his belly. "Emm, what are you-"

"Plegians!" Emmeryn's voice rang out far enough to be heard into the city, though whether it was the result of magic, no one could tell, for she carried no tome upon her. "I ask that you hear the truth of my words! War will win you nothing but sadness and pain, both inside your borders and out. Free yourselves from this hatred! From this cycle of pain and vengeance. Do what you must… As I will do. See now that one selfless act has the power to change the world!"

"Emm, no!" Chrom rushed forward, finally understanding what his sister meant to do. "No!" He bolted for the spire, desperate to reach Emmeryn. The Shepherds could only watch in numb horror as their Exalt stepped to the edge of the rock.

Emmeryn watched as Chrom charged towards her from below. She knew that Gangrel would let this all play out- he didn't care how she died, so long as she did.

Reluctantly, she tore her gaze from her brother and looked out into the city streets, where people looked back at her. And yet… _No reaction,_ she thought sadly. _Was I wrong, then? Chrom, this is some torch I'm passing you._

Shaking her head, she smiled sadly. "So be it." Looking up, she saw a single hawk, flying freely ono the wind, wherever it so wished. Soon, she would even more free than that bird.

She stepped up to the edge of the rock, rocked a bit, then allowed herself to fall. She heard not her brother's cry of anguish, nor saw Lissa's tortured face. She only thought this before she hit the ground: _Chrom… Lissa… And all my people… Know… That I loved you._

Chrom fell to his knees, unable to look away from his sister's destroyed body. His vision blurred, and the tears fell. He did not move, even when Gangrel began to taunt him. In that moment, there was nothing worth anything to him.

Lissa gave out an anguished groan and collapsed, only to have Donnel barely catch her.

"Oh, gods…" Robin whispered. He had never thought that it would end like this- the Exalt sacrificing herself for his mistake. The feeling was nothing short of crushing.

"DAMN YOU, GANGREL!" The tortured roar came from Chrom, who now had his blade drawn, eyes raging with pain and near-madness.

"Well now!" the king laughed. "How disgustingly noble. And so lovely a fall! Here I thought death to be an ugly thing. I've never seen one fall so gracefully, in fact. And I've seen many fall. So ends Emmeryn, Ylisse's most exalted!

"But how can we ensure everyone remembers this beautiful moment of sacrifice? Perhaps we should gather up her body and put it on display!" And he howled with laughter.

"Gangrel! You die today!" Chrom prepared to charge at the king, even though he was most certainly headed for his own death.

"Hell no!" a new voice boomed. "I secured an escape route! We have to flee!" Khan Basilio waved his arms to get the Shepherds' attention.

His voice cut through to Chrom partway, but he was still grief-stricken. He looked back at what was left of his beloved sister and said, "B-but… her body… I have to…"

"You have to RUN! Now do it!" Basilio was in no mood to bandy words with the prince. "Robin! Don't let him do anything stupid!"

The tactician jerked his head in a sharp agreement and moved quickly to grab Chrom. The prince only offered token resistance, too drained to put up a fight against anyone. They strapped him into the saddle with Sumia while Lissa was carried off by Cordelia.

No one looked back as they fled from the castle of Plegia.

A figure from the shadows slumped heavily against the wall. "Gods," Marth whispered, tears sliding freely down her face. "Oh, gods, no… I'm too late… Our bleak future is written once more… And darkness awaits us all."


	14. Renewal

Renewal

The group had been running for nearly three hours when the downpour began. It was as if the sky itself were mourning for Emmeryn, for darkness covered the land as far as the eye could see. And every drop of rain felt like another slap from the hands of fate to Robin.

For it was he, and he alone who had failed Emmeryn. And not just the late Exalt, but her brother, her sister, and her people. He had let all of them down.

They stopped for a brief respite in the late afternoon in the mountains, although it might as well already have been twilight. When they did, Lissa and Chrom huddled together and spoke to no one. Libra was seen to be murmuring mixtures of a lament and a prayer for Emmeryn. Robin also sat by himself, taking no notice of anything that went on around him. Even if an arrow were to be fired at him, he would nearly welcome it, in order to escape the shame he felt.

Maribelle walked around, checking upon the injured as they each mourned for Emmeryn. When she came upon Ricken, she saw him limping heavily with blood all over his robes as he moved along the side of the rock, using fire magic to burn a recording of Emmeryn's death onto the wall.

"Ricken, dear?" she said as she moved closer to him. "Let me see your leg."

He presence startled him, for he had been concentrating heavily on his work. "Wh-what? Why would you want to-"

"Ricken!" she snapped, not in the mood for protests.

"Y-yes, ma'am." He lifted his robes to reveal a small, yet deep wound on his right leg. He had been hit purely by chance when he and Virion stepped up to protect Robin from the archers on the castle walls, but he had kept it to himself. Since the arrow was barbed, he had been forced to shove it the rest of the way through in order to avoid shredding the muscles by pulling it out.

"Heavens, look at this wound!" Maribelle would have swatted him with her staff if he had not already been injured. "Small wonder you're gimping about like the village drunk! Why didn't you say something about this?"

"What, this?" Ricken tried to shrug it off. "Oh, this is nothing! Just a… flesh wound." His voice grew rather weak under Maribelle's piercing glare.

"And what if this 'flesh wound' were to get infected? Mmm? What then?" Ricken didn't answer, shying his gaze away. Maribelle sighed in exasperation and scolded, "You must stop taking unnecessary risks! …Such as fighting at all." She appeared thoughtful at the end of her sentence.

"What?!" Ricken sputtered angrily. "What's _that_ supposed to mean?"

"Putting someone so young in the line of fire is the worst kind of cowardice," Maribelle snapped back, seeming to forget that Ricken had actually gone against orders in order to get on the front lines in the first place. "Yes, you saved me, but you could have died a hundred times along the way! Well, never again! I shall demand that Chrom find a way to spare you further combat. I should have done this sooner, dear boy. Oh, I hope you can forgive my-"

Ricken grabbed her arm tightly and pulled her so that they were face-to-face. "Don't you dare!" he growled. He gave the prince a pointed look, forcing Maribelle to see just how defeated their leader was. "And don't call me a boy- I can handle myself in a fight, Maribelle. You should know that better than anyone."

"Now see here!" The lady yanked her arm out of his grasp and stepped back. "No one doubts your abilities, least of all me. But I would be devastated beyond comfort if anything happened to you."

Suddenly Ricken understood where this conversation was coming from. _She saw how losing someone close affected Chrom and Lissa,_ he thought. _And now she doesn't want the same thing happening to me._ His heart warmed upon that realization, and his face softened.

"I have this power for better or worse," he said gently, "and I know how to fight. Don't ask me to sit by while my friends, my family, and my country are in danger."

For a long moment, the only sound between them were the indistinct murmurs of their companions and the rain in the background. Then Maribelle said heavily, "I suppose if you're truly certain, it is not my place to stop you. I only ask that you don't stop me from striving to keep you safe. _Tell_ me when you're hurt, Ricken! Let me use my gifts for you as well. You'll keep no one safe by playing the stoic."

As she moved her staff to heal the wound, Ricken nodded and said, "All right."

Then the khans started bellowing at the Shepherds to get moving again. Reluctantly, they obeyed, even the royal siblings.

They soon reached an ancient dragon graveyard- not the riding wyvern steeds, but the terrifying monsters once known as the leviathans. These dragons had been large enough to eat a house, and not even remember it the next morning- which they often did.

According to history, after the first Exalt laid low the fell dragon, Grima, these dragons became furious, as Grima had been their forefather. They rained down death in their master's name, but with him gone, their power was not what it once was, and the Ylisseans managed to wipe out every last one of them.

It was amongst these bones that stood as high as a mansion that Chrom began to slow. Noticing this, Robin motioned for Basilio to stop. The khan shook his head as they halted and growled, "Hurry! There should be carriages waiting just through the ravine!"

Chrom did not respond, looking about as lively as his late sister. "Chrom, please!" Robin begged. He too was heartbroken, but he couldn't allow the rest of his friends to die, either.

"Chrom muttered something unintelligible. Then he spoke up and said, "I'm… I'm coming." Robin wondered if he was going to say something else, but Basilio was impatient.

"Quickly!" He said, starting to move again. "We're almost- Huh? Damn!" Robin and Chrom looked around to see enemy forces emerging from behind the bones and the rocks making up the ravine.

"Plegians!" the khan spat. "I knew it couldn't be that easy. And they're right in our way! We must fight!" The Shepherds each drew their weapons, some prepared to unleash their pain upon their enemies, like Vaike and Sully, while others wished for the battle to be over already, such as Lissa and Maribelle.

"Ylisseans!" a strong voice boomed throughout the graveyards. Robin saw that it belonged to a powerful-looking wyvern rider. "I offer you mercy! Surrender to me now and live!" Robin frowned at him. Unlike the other commanders he'd clashed with, this one seemed sincere, as though he really would treat them well. _But why?_

"Surrender?" Basilio scoffed. "Sorry, I'm not familiar with the word."

"Emmeryn would not have wished for this to come to bloodshed," the commander replied heavily.

"Damn you!" Chrom spat angrily. "Don't speak her name!"

To their surprise, the rider seemed sympathetic with his opponent. "Your rage is justified, Prince Chrom," he said. "But the meaning of your sister's sacrifice was not lost on me. I suspect many Plegians who heard her final words would say the same."

Robin and Chrom gasped in surprise. Although he had begun to suspect, Robin hadn't dared to hope that anyone had heeded Emmeryn's call for peace, let alone one of Gangrel's commanders!

"If you lay down your weapons, I vow to protect you as best I can," the man said.

Frederick, of course, still doubted. "How can we trust you after what your barbarous king has done? I think we shall take our chances with our weapons in hand!" Many of the Shepherds roared their angry approval, although Chrom and Robin remained dumbstruck.

The commander did not seem surprised, for he nodded sadly and said, "I suspected you would say as much. So be it." He looked directly at their leader to say, "Prince Chrom, I shall endeavor to grant you a swift and dignified end."

Chrom set his jaw and nodded tightly. Then General Mustafa gave the order for his troops to attack. He flew off to a more defensible position and greeted his soldiers as the battle began.

One of the men approached him nervously and said, "Forgive me, sir, but I… I no longer see the justice in hunting these people down." His jaw quavered slightly, but his voice stayed level. "I accept any punishment you see fit, but after all that's happened… I just can't."

"How dare you question the general's orders! You know full well the punishment for insubordination is death!" One of the other riders rounded on the man angrily.

"B-but, sir! These people are-"

"These questions are not ours to ponder, lad," the general said heavily, although his voice lacked conviction. He began to speak as though he were spilling the words another had forced down his mouth. "The soldier does not judge. The soldier delivers judgment."

"Sir, I…" the soldier wavered. "I cannot raise my lance against them. Even if… Even if it means death."

A light of recognition shone in Mustafa's eyes. "You were there when Emmeryn spoke, weren't you?" he asked. When the soldier nodded 'yes', Mustafa turned to those around and said, "So be it! Those of you unwilling to fight are dismissed!"

Before he could say more, however, the soldier to whom he had been speaking reached up and seized his gauntlet. "But I don't wish to abandon you, sir!" he said.

"I cannot defy the king, lad," Mustafa said tensely. "I know him well. He would murder my wife and child to set an example. I will accept the blame for your actions today. Now go!"

"W-wait, General!" the soldier protested. "I see a cause worth fighting for, one I believe in: loyalty to my general."

Mustafa looked over at the soldier approvingly, and with the ghost of a smile, he said, "Aye. That's a good lad." So together, they waited.

Robin was surprised to notice that Mustafa wasn't the only one that seemed to have given up his lust for violence- most of his men seemed to share in his newfound respect for the Ylissean Shepherds, and in particular, Prince Chrom.

Many of them only offered token resistance in battle, some even laying down their weapons and asking for death at their hands instead of Gangrel's. So it was when they reached the pass out of the ravine and confronted the general that had offered them mercy.

He looked reluctant to fight, but Robin had a sense that he would not allow himself to be defeated as easily as his men had been.

"I am General Mustafa of Plegia," he said. "If you wish to keep your lives, then you must win them!" Donnel lunged forward with his spear with startling swiftness, catching the general by surprise. He parried the thrust with his axe, but was caught by a reverse swipe in the ribcage.

The general grunted heavily, and his men surged forward to subdue Donnel. They were stopped cold by a wall of swords, axes, and spears wielded by the other Shepherds. Even though these men were still loyal to their cause, they were outnumbered, and they all fell, leaving only their commander.

Chrom drew his sword and approached the man, who dismounted his wyvern and set it loose. For a long moment, neither one of them did anything. Then Falchion glowed softly and Mustafa charged forward, axe held high.

Chrom swung his blade faster than the eye could follow, with the only way to tell where the blade had been was the telltale glow left in the wake of its trail. Mustafa grunted, and stopped running right next to Chrom.

He put a beefy hand on the Prince's shoulder and said, "Well done, Ylisseans… Please… spare my men…"

"Whomever is left, we shall do so," Chrom said without looking at his opponent. The general nodded and then collapsed, blood freely mixing with the rain. And the battle was over.

"Khan Basilio!" A female voice called out once the Shepherds emerged from the pass. They all turned to see a line of carriages and soldiers awaiting them, and a young woman of exceptional beauty running towards them.

"Olivia!" The khan shouldered his way forward and greeted the girl warmly. "I'm sorry we kept you waiting."

Olivia shook her head at the apology and said, "When I didn't hear from you, I thought… I assumed the worst."

Basilio snorted derisively at the thought of his defeat, then turned to the leaders of the Shepherds. "Chrom? Robin? Meet Olivia. She'll be smuggling us out of here."

"Only if you hurry!" the girl pulled insistently on Basilio's arm. "Doubtless more of the Mad King's men are on their way."

"All right," he agreed. He turned again to the Shepherds and bellowed, "Pile in, you lot! And bid farewell to this Plegian hellhole."

Once everyone had loaded into the wagons, Olivia called back from the lead horse, "Ready? Hold on tight!" And then they were moving at dangerous speeds across the wet terrain, trying to outrun the Plegian forces that were surely on their way.

Despite the king's efforts, the band made it safely back to castle Ferox, where the king dared not follow- at least, not yet. There, a meeting was called between the leaders about what to do with Plegia, now that war was upon them.

Chrom spoke nary a word, as did Lissa and Frederick. Robin tried to think of what to do, but he was just as drained as they were. Although Emmeryn was not his family, he had come to look upon Chrom as an older brother, and Lissa, a sister. So, by extension, he felt the same about Emmeryn, even though he had not known her well. And that made his defeat feel all the more devastating.

"All of that… For nothing…" he murmured softly.

Lissa began to cry, and Chrom put his arm around her and pulled her close. The Shepherds nearby were silent as a tomb, each of them unsure of what to do. If their leaders were this defeated, what were they to do?

Among them, Frederick could be heard saying, "I should have died before allowing the Exalt to be captured. I have failed as a knight…" Tears could be seen on his face as he spoke quietly to himself.

Flavia turned to Basilio and muttered, "What now, oaf?"

"Hold on," he said in lowered tones. "Don't look at me- I'm not in charge!"

"Ugh… I picked a fine time to regain the full throne…"

Robin finally gathered up his courage and sat next to Chrom at the table. "Chrom, I'm… I'm so sorry. Maybe my plan just wasn't enough."

To his surprise, Chrom shook his head slightly and said, "You did your best, Robin. And you have my thanks. It's my own failures that haunt me now. Gods, I was so powerless!" He banged his fist on the table.

"It's not your fault either, Chrom," Robin tried to relieve him, but Chrom pushed his words aside.

"She did it for me, Robin. So that I wouldn't have to live with the guilt of either choice, she chose for me. She sacrificed herself rather than give up what could one day save her people."

"Chrom." Robin's voice had regained some of its former command that had been growing since he had become the Shepherd's tactician. "Listen to me. Look at me."

Looking up at him, Chrom saw that some of that steel had returned to his friend's eyes, and that gave him some hope. When Robin saw that spark of hope, he began to speak again. "I was powerless once, too, remember?" When Chrom nodded at the memory, Robin continued. "And yes, alone, I don't think either one of us is half the person your sister was. But together… maybe we can be something more.

"If you fall, I'll be there to pull you back up. When you fight for your sister's ideals, I'll be by your side. You don't have to become your sister, you know. You can still be true to yourself. You just have to give people hope in whatever way you can."

"And what if I can't?" Chrom sighed, on the brink of sinking back into despair. "What if I'm not worthy of her ideals? Robin, what if I drag you down with me?"

Robin grasped his friend's shoulder firmly until he looked him in the eye again. "If you aren't worthy, you'll keep at it until you are. And if we both fall down, well, that's what friends are for, isn't it?"

"That's right." Nowi's voice startled them both. "I wouldn't even be here if not for you." They all looked up to see that the Shepherds had gathered beside them, and had been listening the whole while.

"You gave me your trust, and now you have mine," Tharja added. Then a mischievous smile played across her pale face. "For the time being."

"Were you unworthy, I would have left long ago," said Lon'qu.

"It took great courage and charisma to unite all of us." Virion spoke directly to Robin. "I knew I possessed such talents, but clearly you do as well!" In spite of themselves, Chrom, Robin and Lissa rolled their eyes.

"Ricken shouldered his way up to the front and said, "Yeah. We all look up to you! You're like a hero to us." The Shepherds all muttered their approval in unison, and their leader's hearts swelled with emotion.

Chrom stood before them and said in a barely controlled voice, "Thank you, everyone. Your words mean more than you could ever know. My Shepherds… My warriors… There is work to be done."

He drew himself up and stood proudly, as Emmeryn might have done. "Gangrel must be stopped so that peace can once again reign in Ylisse. Will you help me?"

Lissa hugged her brother again and said, "You can count me in. I'm tired of crying all the time. It's time to start punchin' stuff!" And she dashed the tears out of her eyes before hugging Chrom tightly again.

"Hear hear, darling!" Maribelle agreed. "Our people have suffered enough."

"Gladly would I fight and die for House Ylisse!" Stahl stated.

"Gladly would I fight and _kill_ those dastards for House Ylisse!" Sully growled.

"Our hearts echo yours, sire," said Libra.

Sumia walked up to the front and grasped Chrom's hand gently. And she whispered so that only Robin, Lissa and Chrom could hear her words. "I will be the unbreakable shield by your side." And she kissed Chrom on the cheek.

"Don't forget me," said Kellam. "I'm with you too!"

"Teach is here and class is in session!" said Vaike, brandishing his axe so that all could see it.

"How much you pay Gregor?" said the mercenary. When the others gave him nasty looks, he grinned and said, "Gregor make joke! Why you look at Gregor like that?"

Panne spoke next. "Your sister earned my respect. The last taguel shall champion her."

Last to speak from the Shepherds was Frederick, Chrom's oldest friend. "You have grown strong, milord. I may have set a poor example as a knight… But I swear to you, I shall die before anymore exalted blood is spilled!"

Chrom could only nod and say, "Thank you all. Truly. You honor me with your fealty. And I will not falter again. We shall answer this outrage! The Mad King must be stopped!"

Flavia laughed as she and Basilio stood. Chrom turned to face them as he wiped a single tear from his eye. "Right!" said Flavia. "It's time for ol' Gangrel to get a dose of his own vulnerary! The whole of the Feroxi army is yours to send crashing against him!"

Basilio chuckled and said, "You young folk- your passion runs so hot! If I had any gray hairs, you would've singed 'em right off." When the other looked confused, he raised his axe and slammed it flat on the table. "In other words, count me in!"

"Um…" A new voice entered the scene. They all turned to see Olivia walking in shyly, as if unsure if she would be welcome. "I'd like to go, too, if I may. The Exalt did me a kindness once."

"She did?" Chrom was surprised, for he had never heard mention of Olivia from his late sister.

"Y-yes, sire. It would honor me to have a part in giving her justice! Although all I can do is dance… And I'm not so skilled at that, if we're being honest…"

Basilio laughed again and said, "She's too modest! Olivia is a Feroxi treasure. You won't meet a finer dancer in all the realms! Her moves inspire soldiers to work twice as hard! You'd do well to bring her along, Commander."

Chrom gave a start of surprise as he realized that Basilio was talking to him. "Com-mander'? What happened to 'boy?"

"You've earned your way up from that name, I think," said the west-khan. "Now where were we? Oh yes! I was just about to start cracking skulls!

"Flavia will lead me and the other Feroxi in a head-on assault. That should buy you enough time to take down Gangrel. Hear that, boy? You get the fun part!"

Chrom frowned. "I thought you weren't going to call me-"

"You and Robin have my every confidence," Basilio interrupted, though Robin could see that he was being sincere. "You're a born leader, and he has a knack for guiding troops to victory. You both have some growing to do yet, but I can already see you'll grow tall."

Chrom had to smile, finally. "Thanks, Basilio."

The khan nodded and slammed his axe again. "All right, enough talk. It's time to raise some hell! So let's get to it, then! Gangrel may try to hit us while we're still licking our wounds."

"Let him try," Chrom said with a dangerous gleam in his eyes. "This time I'm ready to dethrone the Mad King, once and for all."


	15. Mad King Gangrel

Mad King Gangrel

"The supplies have been loaded, and everything is accounted for, sir," said Cordelia to Frederick.

"Ah, good work. Thanks," he said. "Next, may I ask you to-"

"Inspect the worn weapons and scrolls?" Cordelia interrupted with a sly smile. "Already done, sir."

The two of them had been put in charge of preparing the supply train for the return to Plegia, and so far, Cordelia had surprised and impressed Frederick at every turn.

"Oh, but I did have a number of question regarding the layout of the camp." When Frederick did not reply, Cordelia was afraid that she upset her partner. "Frederick?"

"Impressive," he said. "I was just thinking about how little you have changed from when I knew you in Ylisse. Back when you served the Royal Pegasus Knights. Always working harder than everyone and finding some task that needs doing…" His voice trailed off as he realized that some might describe him the same way. _Perhaps Robin did know what he was doing in pairing me with Cordelia._

"Phila once confessed to me that she'd be lost without your help," he continued. "I'm convinced that it was her intention to eventually name you her successor."

The young knight flushed with surprise. "Ph-Phila said that?!" The flame-haired rider was completely taken aback.

"I envied her, in truth," Frederick admitted. "I've often wished that I possessed a successor of your caliber."

"Come now, Frederick, sir!" she stammered. "You go too far. People will get the wrong impression if they overhear such flattery."

"The wrong impression?" Frederick repeated. Then he realized what she meant. "Ah, yes. I see. Apologies, milady. I'm afraid I'm not as sensitive as you to how such things can be perceived."

Of course not," Cordelia protested. "Sometimes it feels as if every man only wishes to woo me…"

"Indeed, the stories of your colorful past certainly do precede you," Frederick agreed.

"Er, stories? What stories?" Cordelia asked frantically, and the knight realized that he had just made a social blunder. "Frederick, what stories?!"

Instead of answering, Frederick shied away and said as he left the room, "Just make sure we have enough tent supplies!" Cordelia watched him go, suddenly feeling very self-conscious.

"What stories?" she repeated with apprehension. _Are these rumors why Chrom never paid any attention to me?_

On the first night on the way to Plegia, while they were still within Ferox, Lon'qu finally approached Panne again. "You again," she muttered in a guarded tone.

"I want to return your bag of weeds," he growled. "I'm tired of carrying it around all the time." The taguel was surprised to see that he still had her bag, even after all these weeks and battles.

"Idiot human," she said just loud enough for him to hear. "Why didn't you just throw it away?" She sighed and shook her head, he long ears accentuating the movement. "Never mind. Here. Give it to me."

"Don't come any closer!" This time, Lon'qu's voice was fearful, not hostile. "I'll toss the bag that way, and you can pick it up."

Panne stopped a few yards away, her expression a mixture of hurt and curiosity. "Do you hate my kind so much?" she asked him.

"No," he admitted. "It is not your kind I mind. It is your gender."

"Hm… And why would you, a human skilled in swordplay, possibly fear all females?"

"I have my reasons," he said in a tone that brooked no further questioning. Then he decided to relent- but only a little. "I am haunted by nightmares- confused, terrifying memories from my past. When I approach a woman, be she taguel, manakete, or human, I am gripped by an icy fear."

To his surprise, Panne's face softened, as if she understood. "Then I am not the only one plagued by terrible memories."

"I do not like to speak of it," Lon'qu admitted. He looked around to make sure that no one was listening before saying, "If others knew I still suffered from childish nightmares, they would think me weak."

Panne sighed and held out her hand. "Throw me the bag." Lon'qu did so. "Thank you," she said. "Now wait right there."

And she ran off to the mess tent. "What are you doing?" her partner wondered aloud.

When she returned, she answered him, "I'm making a special brew using the herbs I collected." And she quickly mashed the roots and mixed them with water in a pot.

When she was done, she held out a mug to him filled with the substance. "Here."

He took it and gave it a sniff before grimacing with distaste. "It smells vile. And there are twigs floating in it."

"Just drink it down," Panne muttered.

Lon'qu eyed it distrustfully. "Are you sure it's safe for humans?"

"Good question. Drink it or don't. I care not."

"Very well," he said hesitantly. Then he downed the mug. He let it sit for a moment before he could stand it no more. He spat it out, although some of the liquid still managed to make it into his stomach. "Urgh!" he groaned. "He tastes even worse than it smells!"

"Yes," said Panne with a slight grin. "But you will find it helps with your nightmares." And then she left him alone.

"Gods that was awful," he growled as soon as she was out of earshot. "I hope this isn't some kind of elaborate practical joke." And he moved to gather up the drinking utensils so that he might return them to the mess tent.

In the morning before it was time to set out, Lissa got Donnel to come with her to the makeshift barracks. "Settle down and take a seat," she said. "Professor Lissa is now instructing."

Eyeing his partner uneasily, he wondered how wise it was for her to be teaching him how to fight, especially since she was still under a lot of stress.

"Er, if I'm gonna be learnin', I'd rather it was Sir Chrom teachin' me proper," he said carefully. "I don't mean no offense, Lissa, but-"

"Tut tut!" she interrupted. "No talking! And it's _professor_ Lissa! All right now, class. Open up your texts to page eighty-four."

After about ten minutes of Lissa taking him through one of Robin's many books, Donnel frowned. "Er, beggin' your pardon, Professor, but that constellation's the Wyvern, not the Dragon."

"What?" Lissa was taken aback.

"Yes, ma'am. And that bright star ain't Arthentine, it's Tryffin."

"Fine!" Lissa pouted. "This astronomy lesson is _over_! Just… read the book quietly to yourself!" And she stormed out.

"Aw, Lissa!" Donnel protested. "Wait, I didn't… Dang it all. Why'd I have to go openin' my fool mouth?"

"That little know-it-all!" Lissa sulked as she wandered aimlessly away from the camp. "Pigs'll fly before I offer to teach _him_ again!" And she groaned to herself.

So caught up in her anger that she failed to see the slippery patch of ice on the cold Feroxi ground. She screamed in pain as her ankle was painfully wrenched as she slipped and fell. "Aw, why did I have to storm off so far away from the camp?" she groaned. Her staff was back at her tent. "I… I could die out here! I'm gonna be eaten by a bear or a lumberjack or something!"

Just as she was about to cry, she heard a distant voice. It called out, "Lissa? Miss Lissa, can you hear me? Where are ya, Lissa?"

"D-Donny?" she gasped, hardly daring to believe it. "Over here! I'm here, Donny!"

Donnel quickly found her after that. "Oh, thank goodness," he grinned as he saw her on the ground. "I was worried ya… Huh? What's up with yer leg, Lissa?" He pointed with the butt of his spear at her ankle, which was already swelling and discolored.

"I sort of… twisted my ankle," she muttered, embarrassed by her blunder.

Donnel laid aside his spear and knelt closer to her. "Lemme have a look at that," he murmured. After a moment, he shook his head and muttered, "Pig slop! There ain't no 'sort of' about it. Ya done sprained it- bad. Here, hop on m'back."

"What?" Lissa said, surprised by the offer. "You don't have to…"

"Just hurry up and climb on!" he ordered. Then he remembered that Lissa was the crown princess, and hurriedly added, "Er, please. There's talk'a bandits showin' up all over these parts, so we best skedaddle."

"A-all right," Lissa relented. With his help, she painfully clambered onto his back.

"All right," he said once she was in place. "You hang on now! I'll have us back in two shakes."

As he began to move, Lissa blushed and asked him, "S-say, Donny? Were you looking out for me this whole time?" When he nodded that he had, she groaned leaned her head against his back, enjoying the warmth opposed to the cold earth. "I'm so sorry," she whispered. "I make a pretty terrible older sister."

"Aw, that ain't true at all, Lissa." Donnel smiled, even though Lissa couldn't see it. "I'm just happy ya care about me. Yer always so nice to me and all…"

Lissa laughed softly and said, "I'd say the same for you, Donny." Then they fell into a companionable silence for the remainder of the walk.

When they reached camp, Maribelle immediately rushed over to take care of Lissa's leg. But Donnel stayed with her the whole while, until it was time to leave and head for Plegia once more.

"The enemy has taken the field, milord," said Aversa. It had been nearly two weeks since Emmeryn's demise, so the king and his seductive tactician had been waiting since then, sure that the Shepherds would come back for revenge.

"Back already?" Gangrel smiled. "It feels as though we just said our good-byes…"

"Our scouts report that they are in surprisingly good spirits," Aversa said with a slight frown as she looked down at her notes.

However, Gangrel waved this aside with words, "Since when do you trust our scouts? Besides, what does it matter? They're armed like beggars compared to us!" He slapped his hand against the sheath of his magic sword. "I could break their ranks as easily as I break wind."

Aversa chuckled at the analogy. "I'd love to hear the song the bards make of that."

Gangrel rolled his eyes, then turned his attention back to his castle's fields, searching for signs of the Shepherds. "Aversa, there is a truth about the world this Ylissean whelp must learn. A man is either strong, or he is dead!" And he cackled.

The laughter ceased when a messenger approached, looking decidedly nervous. "Y-your Highness!" he gasped. "Dire news!"

"Oh? Speak," said the king.

"Our troops are laying down their weapons and deserting en masse!" When Gangrel and Aversa said nothing, the man began to back away nervously. "Please, sire," he begged. "I am but a messenger… Have mercy…"

But for heralds of bad news in Plegia, there is no mercy.

"Milord, I have a report from Khan Flavia," said Frederick as he rushed up to Chrom. The two forces kept a group of messenger doves for speedy communication. Frederick seemed to have received a message from one of these birds. "The Plegian army is in disarray."

Chrom and Robin were both shocked. "How do you mean?" asked the prince.

Frederick grinned as he said, "It seems many of their soldiers are opposed to further violence. There has been infighting, desertion… Gangrel is trying to stamp out the mutiny by force, but with little success.

"Outside of a few faithful who serve him directly, his army has all but collapsed."

Chrom was stunned beyond belief. He had fully expected to have to fight past hundreds of soldiers before laying siege to castle Plegia again. "This is incredible news," he finally said. "But why…?" Then it hit him.

"Emmeryn," he breathed.

Frederick nodded with sad smile on his lips. "Yes, milord. Emmeryn. The report says Gangrel's men chant her name as they abandon the field. Her words, and her sacrifice, have made her a folk hero of sorts."

"Emmeryn…" Chrom whispered. "Why did it take me so long to understand? She believed all people desire peace. She knew, deep down, the Plegians wanted it, too. It just took her to bring it to the surface."

Robin smiled, also understanding.

Chrom looked up to the sky, clear and blue, and said, "I hope she can see this, wherever she is…" Returning his gaze to his friends, he firmed his chin and said, "Today we put an end to Mad King Gangrel and bring peace back to the land."

Turning back to his Shepherds, he pulled out his gift from the khans, even as Robin did the same. "Shepherds!" he cried out. "We move, NOW!" And there were twin flashed of energy.

When the warriors could see again, Chrom stood taller and stronger, adorned in new armor and armed with both Falchion and the Fire Emblem.

Robin's robes were a brighter color, and the robes were trimmed with real gold threads, not just colored as such. And his hair had gone from being a dirty blond to nearly white.

The power of the golden seals had awakened the true strength that resided within their hearts and brought it to the fore. Now they were ready to face Gangrel.

The Ylisseans walked unhurriedly onto the field of battle, on which Gangrel waited across from them. "Good day, my little princeling!" he called out to them. "Still dreaming of your squashed sister?"

"No more talk, Gangrel!" Chrom bellowed. "Today you die, and peace returns to Ylisse and Plegia!"

"Pah!" Gangrel spat. "Such hypocrisy! You despise me, wretch! You want to cut me down! You don't know the first thing about peace! No man does!"

"I know more than you ever will!" Chrom retorted.

"More than me?" Gangrel snarled. "More than ME?! Bwa ha! You ARE me! When life asks you a question, you answer with blood!"

Chrom frowned at that. "Maybe you're right…" he called out. "I will never be my sister. I cannot forgive men like you- men who sow nothing but evil. All I have left are her words, and her memory. Were I alone, I might be driven to madness, or worse.

"But I'm not alone! My friends and brothers-in-arms stand behind me!"

When he had finished, Gangrel, predictably, cackled. "Are you done?" He scoffed. "May I vomit now? What a flowery harangue! Men are beasts! Nothing more! We fight! We kill! We devour our prey! Beasts do not stand behind beasts, little prince. They use each other only so long as is suits their own selfish purpose!"

"Perhaps this explains why your own soldiers refuse to stand behind you?!" Chrom retorted. He was rewarded by a burst of laughter from his own soldiers. "You are a poison! A festering wound! And I will do what my sister could not!"

Gangrel shot him a smoldering look and snarled, "Such a clever tongue you have, little prince. It will look quite fetching hanging on my mantle, next to your sister's corpse!"

Chrom could contain himself no longer. "Shepherds! Attack! For Ylisse and Emmeryn!"

"FOR YLISSE AND EMMERYN!" they echoed. And together, they charged at the last of the Plegian forces, who roared and charged to meet them head-on.

"Clinging to each other won't save you maggots when the boot falls!" Gangrel roared as he directed the charge.

The battle was long and bloody, but the Ylisseans never once considered defeat. For each new enemy that came to challenge them, they somehow found the strength to strike them down. Chrom and Robin fought together for this battle, which left the Einherjar-Marth to ride with Sumia, much to her reluctance.

The two leaders worked magnificently together, seeming to know what the other was going to do before they did, and supporting them thus. Even when a full squad of mixed Pegasus and Wyvern Riders charged them, they struck them all down without mercy.

During the battle, a few of the Ylisseans left to chase after some soldiers attempting to flee. Sumia, Cordelia, Marth, Frederick, Ricken, and Maribelle were among them.

As the Ylisseans drew closer, Gangrel became more and more furious, shouting obscenities at his men, but to no avail. No matter how much they feared Gangrel, their motivation was not nearly as strong as the Shepherds' desire for revenge.

When they finally closed in on the Mad King, Robin and Chrom waved the others back. "This is one fight that belongs to us," Chrom said, eyes locked on Gangrel's furious orbs.

"Come, princeling," he hissed. "I've sharpened my sword just for you!" Robin was surprised to see him draw out a Levin Sword, a long, jagged blade that drew its power from the wielder's magical abilities. In the right hands, it was an extremely deadly weapon.

"My sister wished for our people to know peace, Gangrel," Chrom stated. "But as long as you draw breath, it can never come." And he raised his blade into a ready position, as did Robin. "For Ylisse!" they cried.

Chrom swung hard, only to be blocked by the strange sword's magic. Robin was next, circling behind the Mad Kind to stab at his back- not the most noble of strikes, but an effective one. Unfortunately, Gangrel was faster than he had expected, parrying his blade as well.

Thereafter, Robin and Chrom strove to catch the king off-guard, even a little bit. The dueled for many minutes, their blows intensifying with every stroke. The Shepherds had to fight the urge to jump in and help their commanders, but their wishes were clear.

Finally, after perhaps twenty minutes of battle, Gangrel lowered his sword too much before trying to bring it up for an under-handed slash, causing the blade to drag in the dirt, and slowing him down.

Chrom saw this, let out a roar, and stabbed Gangrel in the heart. Robin was right behind him, driving his blade through the man's torso and piercing several organs. Gangrel gasped and went limp as they withdrew their weapons.

"F-fool of… a prince…" he gasped. "Your people care not for you… You are… alone… Every man lives and dies: alone…" Then he was silent and still.

Chrom and Robin smiled tiredly at each other. Then they turned to their soldiers, who all stood proudly with the same smile. "It's over," said Robin. "We've won." And then the smiles opened up, at the group began to cheer happily, for they had won, and the war was over. Ylisse was safe once more.

"Sire!" a Feroxi voice called out amidst the jubilation, and a messenger shouldered his way forward, also with a smile upon his lips. "The remaining Plegian forces are surrendering en masse!"

Chrom nodded his acknowledgement and moved closer to speak with the man. "Order our forces to cease fighting at once," he ordered.

"Yes, sire!"

Later that afternoon, the khans rejoined the Ylisseans with a Plegian representative in order to discuss their terms of surrender. Both of them were impressed by how Robin and Chrom looked, and the two leaders both thanked them for the gifts.

After some discussion, Flavia nodded and said, "Then it's finished. Once their messenger delivers our terms, that's it. We put an end to this bloody business, once and for all."

Despite his earlier revelry with his troops, Chrom seemed sad now. "We've won…" he sighed. "Somehow I don't feel like celebrating."

Basilio nodded his sympathy and said, "Victory can be bitter as well as sweet, boy. It's good that you learn that now."

Flavia nodded her agreement and added, "Regna Ferox lost many good soldiers today. We need to see to our dead. Then it's time to attend to the living and rebuild our army."

"I'm sorry, Flavia," Chrom bowed his head respectfully. "Your sacrifice will not be forgotten. Ylisse will compensate your nation in whatever fashion-"

"Oh?" Flavia interrupted with a twinkle in her eye. "In that case, how about you hand over the Fire Emblem and we'll call it even?" The atmosphere grew tense for a moment. Then Flavia laughed loudly and said, "Just a little Feroxi humor. Don't worry after our finances, Chrom. Reparations will fall to Plegia, and I've seen their treasury- they can well afford it."

"Yes, pity the man who stands between Flavia and a full coffer, boy." Basilio grinned.

Chrom smiled as well when he said, "I'll have to remember that when you come to visit Ylisstol." And they all laughed together, as friends.

Later when Lissa had joined them from tending to the wounded, Sumia also came up to Chrom. "Captain!" she called.

"Sumia?" he asked, surprised. He hadn't been expecting her.

"Oh, Captain! You made it! You're safe!" And she ran up and hugged him fiercely.

"Hoo!" Flavia grinned. "Give these two some room!"

"Sumia…" Chrom croaked. "You're choking me…"

"Are you hurt?" she asked as she loosened her hold on him. "Grazed, even? You look exhausted!"

When her captain didn't answer for a lack of words, Lissa giggled and prompted him by saying, "Chrom?! Say something!"

"I'm trying to!" he muttered, flushing red.

"Uh-huh," Lissa smirked. "Flavia? Basilio? Robin? Maybe we should… you know."

"Carry on, lovebirds," Flavia said as she left.

Robin gave his friend an encouraging pat on the back as he left, but said nothing.

When they were gone, Chrom finally found that his tongue worked again. He pulled back slightly, and was startled to see tears sliding down Sumia's face. "Hey, are you- come on, don't cry."

Sumia sniffed and tried to wipe her face. "S-sorry! I just…"

"No, don't apologize," Chrom said gently. "I've been so worried about everyone else lately… My sister, our party, my people… It feels nice to have someone worry about me. Especially someone who I…" Chrom faltered, unsure of what he was trying to say. "I mean, someone so… So gifted with Pegasi." He flushed, realizing that what he had said was just plain silly.

To his relief, Sumia understood. "You've been through so much lately," she said sadly.

"So many have suffered and died because of my action," Chrom said in an equally somber tone. "Next to my sister's legacy, I feel like I'm already a disappointment…"

"But that's not true!" Sumia protested. "Everyone fought so hard for you! Why would we all do that for a man we didn't believe in?"

Chrom looked at her determined face and had to smile, even if it was a small one. "I see your point," he said. "Thanks, Sumia. You always help me see the… brighter side of things."

"To me, you're the brightest thing!" Sumia smiled.

Chrom looked at her for a long, long moment before an utter certainty set in his heart and he said, "Listen, Sumia."

"Y-yes?"

"I'm far from a perfect man, and I know you can do better. But whenever you're close, you give me strength." Chrom reached into his pocket and clenched something tightly. "So what I want is to ask is…"

And he got down on one knee. Sumia gaped as he said, "Will you be my wife?"

The answer was immediate and definite. "YES!" she cried happily. "Yes, yes, oh yes!"

Chrom sighed in relief and said, "Oh, thank gods! I was worried for a second because… Well, anyway…" Then he shook his head and grinned. He held up his closed hand, so that when he opened it, a beautiful ring bearing a symbol upon its face rested therein. "This is for you."

"Y-your ring?" Sumia was shocked. "But it bears the Ylissean crest! Chrom, I… I can't take this."

"Yes, you can," he said. "My parents had it crafted to celebrate my birth. They wanted me to give it to the woman I would spend my life with. Take it. Please. And know I will love you until the day I die."

"Capt-" Sumia started to say, then she stopped. Instead, she said, "Chrom… Thank you. I swear I will return that love to you a hundredfold!"

Chrom smiled fully for the first time since Emmeryn's death as he slipped the ring on her finger. "Then I am a fortunate man." Then he stood and placed his hand on her cheek as he said, "I'll need to ask for a bit of patience for the near future. My first duty must be to heal the scars of war and assume my role for the people. But then, we can begin our life together."

Sumia smiled and said, "I'll wait as long as it takes!" Then she blushed as she gazed at the ring. "I… I still hardly believe it. This is like a dream. So much pain surrounds us, and yet… I think this is the happiest day of my life."

Chrom smiled and pulled her close. "I feel the same way. I know together we can bring joy back to the royal palace. I'll do everything I can to make the castle a happy home for us… my love."

"My love," Sumia repeated. And then they embraced tenderly, basking in each other's love, and knowing that everything would be alright soon enough.


	16. A Happy Ending?

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is the end of the first part of the trilogy I am writing. I will add a couple of bonus chapters that are not found in the game, but after that, you may look for the continuation of this story under the name Fire Emblem: Future Ties.**

**Thank you for reading my first fanfiction, I sincerely do hope you enjoyed it.**

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><p>A Happy Ending?<p>

"Chrom," Robin said as he walked up to his leader. The prince felt another lecture coming on, so he sat down in a chair and motioned for Robin to do the same.

Once they were seated, Robin said, "I hear you've been going on patrol with some of the men." Ever since the war had ended several weeks before, Ylissean troops had been doing their best to stamp out any bandits that would take advantage of the turmoil.

The Shepherds were a good deal of help in this area, especially Robin, who continued to distinguish his talent as a tactician. The fact that he had taken Gangrel's sword only added to his aura of command.

Chrom was supposed to remain within the castle to oversee the halidom's progress, but now… "Only to patrol the immediate area," Chrom said.

Robin gave him a flat stare, then said, "You know what I'm going to say, don't you?"

"That it's too risky, and I need to be more careful. Yes, thank you, mother."

"But if you know this, then why-"

"Look, I understand enemies could be lying in wait to try to kill me," Chrom interrupted. "But there could also be others who need my help! There was a war going on just a few weeks ago, and people are suffering. I can't ignore them. I won't."

"Hey!" Robin retorted. "So why not send your men to search for these hapless innocents?!"

"Because," Chrom stated.

Robin cocked his head, not understanding. "Becauuuse…?"

"Because… of you," Chrom smiled at his friend. "If I hadn't been there- if Frederick alone had found you- would we have ever met?"

"Probably not," Robin grudgingly admitted.

"You see?" Chrom chuckled. "And it's not just you, Robin. It's everyone like you. I know going out there exposes me to danger, and I haven't always been careful. But it's a risk I'm willing to take in order to connect with the people. To forge bonds."

"Bonds?" Robin asked. "Between who?"

"You and me. Me and the others. The villagers we've met, the world we've seen… Such bonds are the true strength of this army. Without them, we're lost.

"Others may disagree, but that's one benefit of leadership: I make the final call." Chrom added the last part with a raised eyebrow and a satisfied smirk.

Robin chuckled and said, "It's hard to argue when you use me as your example. But at least let me come with you."

"So you can watch my back?"

"Well, that's part of it, yes," Robin admitted. "But I also want to be there when you find the next me, face down in a field. I want to help you make this army stronger. I want to help you forge new bonds."

Chrom nodded with a smile, and the two friends stood together. Then they embraced roughly, as any two brothers might after such a heartfelt discussion.

_And so the war between Ylisse and Plegia was ended. Prince Chrom and Robin worked tirelessly to restore Ylisse's splendor. This would be no easy task, for the war had taken a heavy toll on the halidom. But with Feroxi muscle and Plegian gold, they brought peace back to the people._

_All the while, the prince forswore the title of Exalt, out of respect to his late sister. Even so, his subjects grew eager for their new ruler to take a wife. And in his heart, Chrom had always known who that woman would be. The royal wedding was a joyous occasion, attended by thousands from near and far. Finally, it seemed that the last lingering wounds of Ylisse's history had healed._

_But then, two years later…_

Chrom was standing in the throne room with Frederick present when a messenger requested entry. Chrom permitted that he might come in.

"Sire, a messenger from Regna Ferox." The man stated.

"Send them in at once," Chrom ordered. His curiosity was piqued- he had not heard from the khans in many months.

"Yes, milord." The man bowed and went to get the messenger.

The two men were surprised when Raimi- the woman that they had battle years before in order to gain entry to Ferox- stepped into the throne room. She bowed to the Ylissean ruler and said, "Prince Chrom, I come on behalf of Khan Regnant Flavia."

"Flavia?" Chrom repeated. "Well, this is a surprise. Is something amiss?"

"I fear so, milord. The khan requests your presence at a summit as soon as you're able."

"What's happened?" Chrom asked, beginning to feel a bit uneasy. If Ferox was in trouble, it had to be serious.

Raimi winced and replied, "Our western neighbors of Valm are no longer acting so neighborly. The emperor, who they name the Conqueror, has launched warships against us."

"An invasion?" Chrom paled slightly. "Are you certain of this?"

"Yes, milord. The khan hopes to meet you in Ferox, if it please you."

Frederick frowned heavily, also worried by this new development. "What do you make of this, sire?" he asked.

"Ill business to be sure," Chrom answered. Turning to the Feroxi warrior, he said, "Raimi, we will be sure to meet with Flavia at once." The woman nodded her appreciation and took her leave then.

"Chrom…" Sumia's voice startled the two men. The prince turned to see his wife approaching with a small bundle in her arms.

Chrom shook his head and said, "I'd stay with you if I could, Sumia, but we owe Regna Ferox a great debt. I must apprise myself of the facts there before deciding on a course of action."

"I'm not asking you to stay here with me," Sumia said with a smile. "I'm saying I'm coming with you." The bundle in her arms squirmed, as if in protest to the declaration.

"But Lucina is newly born!" Chrom protested as he moved closer to gaze upon his daughter. The baby had been delivered not two weeks ago, and Sumia had gone through great difficulty while doing so. It had taken both Lissa and Maribelle's help to ensure both her and Lucina's safety. Even now, Sumia was a trifle unsteady.

"She needs her mother now," Chrom added.

"Can she not be wet-nursed as you and Lissa were?" Sumia asked quietly. "That is House Ylisse's tradition, is it not?" Seeing that Chrom was wavering, she added, "Lucina is a strong child: she takes after her father. The Brand in her left eye is not your only gift to her."

Chrom smiled slightly as Lucina looked up at him, her dark blue eyes wide, easily enabling him to see her matching mark within the orb, the one that he bore on his shoulder. And yet…

"I'm worried about more than our child," he said as he looked at his wife with concern. "I'm worried about you."

"That's sweet," Sumia smirked. "But I'm still coming."

Chrom sighed and rolled his eyes. "I know better than to argue once your mind is made."

"Wow, Sumia really has you trained well!" Lissa giggled. The couple turned to see Robin and Lissa walking towards them, booth smiling.

"Lissa," Chrom muttered. "You're not helping." Turning back to his wife he pleaded, "Just promise me you'll return at the first sign of danger, Sumia. Lissa and I had Emm of course, but we lost our parents when we were young. I want Lucina to grow up with her whole family among her."

Sumia hesitated, then said, "I'll be careful. I promise."

With that taken care of and Sumia off to make arrangements for Lucina's safety, Frederick said, "I will ride a head and assemble an escort, milord."

"Thank you, Frederick."

"I'm quite impressed, Chrom," Robin said. He had just returned from a skirmish with some brigands in the north and was still limping slightly. "You make a fine ruler." Adding a grin Robin said, "You've come a long way from tending sheep!"

"Ha! Have I truly changed so much?"

"Mmm…" Robin thought about it before saying, "In a way, you haven't. But you've grown as a leader, and of course, as a father."

Chrom sighed as he said, "I've tried to do my best. My sister left a weighty legacy. I do all I can just to live up to it."

Robin chuckled at how hard Chrom continued to be on himself, but he said nothing. Instead, he left to begin making preparations to leave for Ferox.

Chrom watched him go, and couldn't help but wonder when his friend was going to find a wife to settle with himself. _He works so hard, and yet asks for nothing in return. Naga, if you might, please give him someone with which he can spend his life with. He more than deserves it._


	17. The Flier

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: This story takes place shortly after the defeat of Gangrel. I was hoping to shed a little light on what I imagined Robin would be doing during this time in the story, and this is the result. Hope you enjoy!**

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><p>The Flier<p>

Robin looked at those assembled and sighed quietly to himself. _Where do I even begin with this?_ He thought. Only five weeks had passed since Gangrel's defeat, and yet Robin felt like it would take an entire lifetime to fully undo the damage done by Plegia.

Assembled before him in the training hall of the Shepherd's garrison were Maribelle, Lissa, Miriel, and Cordelia. Ricken would have been there to assist him, but Chrom had sent him and several others on a mission to quell an uprising in the north on the border of Ferox.

The dark mage Tharja was similarly engaged, but Robin didn't mind that particular factor. The woman seemed to have formed some strange fixation on him, and she openly admitted it to anyone.

Pushing thoughts of the others out of his mind, he focused back on his companions, and now students, trying to decide how to begin their first lesson in magic. Chrom had asked him to train those that were able in the ways of magic, to which Robin had reluctantly agreed. He had hoped to go out and help settle things down in the field, but Chrom had insisted that this was more important.

Similarly, Maribelle had been instructing a handful of Shepherds in the arts of healing and other stave uses. But she had Libra to help her, and Robin couldn't help but feel a little jealous that she had help.

Realizing that they were all waiting for him to say something, Robin cleared his throat and began with, "Thank you all for gathering here today. It is my understanding that you have each already been confirmed to possess the talents required to be tome users."

When they all affirmed that this was the case, Robin nodded in response. "Then please, pick up one of the three types of tomes that we will be training with. It doesn't really matter what we start with."

The tomes were each a basic book of the elements: wind, fire, and thunder. And although Miriel was an adept spell caster, most of her energies were devoted to the study of physical sciences, not magic. As such, she had never really advanced her magical abilities, which is why Robin could not call upon her for assistance.

When they had all selected a tome to use, Robin looked at their choices. Cordelia and Miriel had chosen to use fire magic. Maribelle had selected the wind tome, while Lissa had gone with the thunder magic.

Lissa had been a fast learner on the battlefield thanks to the abilities that the golden seal had granted her, so Robin felt that she would do well with her studies. Miriel was already familiar with magic, so he was also confident in her abilities. Maribelle knew how to use healing magic, so she at least understood the concept. But Cordelia…

Robin had been surprised that the gifted knight was also blessed with magical abilities. However, she had absolutely no experience in such matters, so he was concerned about her ability to master the arcane arts.

Setting aside his concerns, Robin pulled out his own thunder tome that he had chosen for this lesson. He opened it up to a random page and told the others to do the same. When they had prepared as instructed, Cordelia raised her hand uncertainly.

Robin raised an eyebrow and said, "You're kidding me with the raised hand, right? If you have a question, just ask me after I've finished talking."

Cordelia flushed, embarrassed, before she asked, "Do we read the spells? Because I can't read what this says."

Robin smiled and said, "I was just about to get to that. But to answer your question, this isn't a language, so no, you don't need to read it. You simply need to understand what the spell is supposed to do."

When he was given a puzzled look, he said, "Let me explain the nature of magic. All magic is bound by a seal of some kind- in the case of tomes, the written glyphs are the seals that keep the magic from running wild. In the case of the golden and silver seals, the raw energy is bound to the metal itself until someone accesses its power. With staves, the gem set in the staff is the binding factor.

"Also, there are certain types of weapons, like my sword, that are more complicated to make, as you have to bind the magic to the whole item, instead of just containing it in a seal. However, this also makes the weapon's power immediately accessible, without needing to maintain the normal concentration level that any other kind of magic requires. Understand?"

"I get the general idea, yes," Cordelia answered. "Thank you."

Robin nodded his acknowledgement and continued, "Good. Now, as I said earlier, all you need to do is understand what the magic does. Close your eyes."

The women did so. Once they had, he said, "Now, picture what the spell looks like. You can even use an image of someone else usi- WHOA!" The last word was cut off as Cordelia's book glowed and a fire ball flew at Robin. The tactician dodged by rolling to the side as the other girls gasped at Cordelia's gaffe.

The Pegasus Knight opened her eyes, saw the wall behind Robin scorched black, and the tactician getting up off the ground with a moan. She immediately put two and two together, and she dropped the tome, turning the same shade as her hair.

She ran out of the room, tears spilling from her eyes as she did. Robin looked up at his students and said," Lissa, my notes are on that desk over there. Run the others through the lessons on the first two pages while I go check on Cordelia. They're very similar to what I already taught you."

Lissa told him that she would, and Robin dashed off to find his pupil. He ran into Vaike, who was recovering from a sword wound he had received a few weeks ago while driving some bandits out from a family's home in the streets of Ylisstol.

"Have you seen Cordelia?" he asked hurriedly.

"Nah, the Vaike hasn't seen nobody," the axman replied. "I thought I'd heard somebody cryin' from the mess hall, though. Why? Chrom break her heart yet?" He grinned mischievously as he said it.

Robin glared at Vaike with startling vehemence as he growled, "Don't mock her. She's having a rough enough time as it is, understand?" Vaike nodded that he did.

Robin huffed and took off toward the mess hall. Sure enough, there found Cordelia, sitting all alone in a corner table with her knees drawn up to her face.

He walked over and sat down across from her. "Is this seat taken?" he said. The warrior shook her head but didn't look up. "Good," Robin said. "Because I was hoping we could talk."

"Why?" Cordelia sniffed.

"Because you're the only person I've seen pick up magic that quickly without using a seal. You've got some real talent there." Robin made sure that he sounded genuine, as he did not want to harm Cordelia's damaged confidence any more than it already was. And he really did care about she felt. "With a little input from Ricken and me, you could even become a Dark Flier."

Dark Fliers were elite Pegasus Knights that used lances in addition to powerful magics. They were often sent in ahead of the main force to scout enemy numbers, and even spread a little chaos. So far, no one had been able to claim that title amongst the new Pegasus Knights.

And since Robin was now in charge of all Ylissean forces, he could grant anybody any title he chose, including the naming of the new Pegasus Knight's leader. A Dark Flier would most certainly fulfill the requirements of such a role.

But Cordelia was not in agreement. "I won't use magic again," she said into her legs.

"Why ever not?" Robin asked patiently.

Finally looking up at Robin's encouraging face, she said, "Because I could end up hurting somebody if I can't control my powers. The lance I've trained with for years, and I was a natural at it."

"From what I've seen so far, you'd be a natural at casting spells, too," Robin interjected. "All you need is practice."

"You don't understand," Cordelia said in protest. "I've never put anybody in danger with my weapon's practice before. So the fact that I even could hurt someone- forget the fact that you're Chrom's foremost advisor along with Frederick- scares me."

"I had to figure out how to use magic in the middle of a battle," Robin replied. "Try that for scary. I had to control it so that I didn't hit Chrom while backing him up. So if I could do all of that, why do you think that you can't learn magic in a safe environment?"

"I'm not like you, Robin. No one in the Shepherds- no, in all of Ylisse- is talented like you."

Robin raised an eyebrow at the praise, but he kept at it. "Natural talent isn't everything, Cordelia. I have to practice in order to keep my skills sharp, the same as you with a lance. And I know that I'll never become as skilled with a sword as Chrom or Frederick, but that doesn't stop me from trying to hold my own in the practice matches."

Cordelia was surprised to hear him say so. From what she had seen of him, she never would have guessed that he doubted his own abilities. She mentally stopped in her tracks as she realized that she was thinking of Robin what many said about her.

Robin saw her face relax as she came to terms with this. It was then that he stood and held his hand as he said, "Ready to give it another go?"

After one last moment of hesitation, Cordelia nodded and took his outstretched hand.

They returned to find the others destroying the practice targets at their own pace, each. Lissa was the most accurate, despite the fact that she was using a thunder tome, the most inaccurate type of standard magic.

They all turned and smiled when they saw that Cordelia had rejoined them, and they encouraged her try her hand at the targets. Robin handed her the fire tome that she had dropped before and told her to open the pages again.

"Now," he said. "Like before, picture in your mind what the spell is supposed to look like. But don't think about me this time- perhaps that's what led your spell astray last time. Think about the target being hit by the ball of flame."

Cordelia nodded and closed her eyes. Her brow furrowed in concentration as she opened the pages and reached for the power. It wasn't long before the glyphs lifted off the page and began to swirl around her. An identical set of markings began to orbit the target that she was facing.

Lissa went to encourage her, but Robin waved her back and made a motion for them all to remain silent. He didn't want Cordelia's concentration to be broken now. The first success was always the most important one, he knew.

Then it happened. A ball of flame appeared in front of Cordelia and flew towards the target, blasting it to the ground and setting the remains ablaze. The girl gasped as she opened her eyes and saw the results.

She turned to Robin and said, "Thank you for convincing me to keep going."

"Anytime," he said with a smile. "Now, let's see if you can do it again."

"Chrom, they're progressing well, but they are not ready for this kind of mission." Robin stood before Chrom, who was pacing in front of his throne with evident unease. "I won't make them go on an assignment that they can't yet handle. Blast it, they've only been training for three weeks!"

"I know this is risky, but I don't have any other options- believe me, I'm not happy about sending my little sister off to battle Wyvern Riders while I stay here to manage all this damn paperwork." Chrom sighed as he stopped pacing and put his face in his palm.

The two men were arguing about what to do about a group of thieves that were preying on one of the towns in Maribelle's home fief. Chrom wanted to send in the magic casters to clear them out, but Robin was objecting.

"Then don't send her," Robin said firmly. "Just let me go with a few riders of my own along with Ricken to clear them out. He just returned from the north, and his wind magic would be more than enough to-"

"Ricken is lucky that he didn't come home wrapped in a shroud," Chrom said sternly.

"What?"

"He was injured badly during the battle and has yet to recover," Chrom said tiredly. "He'll be in no shape to fight anytime soon, despite his protests. So I don't want word of this reaching his ears, understood?"

"Of course," Robin agreed. "I would never ask him to do battle after something like that. But at the same time, I cannot ask those of a lesser caliber to risk their lives like that."

"Then I'll ask them, Robin. But I would prefer it to be you." Chrom's face bespoke weariness, and Robin realized that his friend was more exhausted than he was letting on.

"All right," he finally said. "I'll talk to them. But I also want some Riders as back-up." Chrom gave his approval, and Robin took his leave.

"Chrom wants us to do what now?" Lissa said with her eyebrows raised.

"There's been some criminal activity in the south for some time now," Robin answered. "And Chrom is worried that the bandits may accidentally wander into the Outrealms and begin using the Einherjar for their own purposes. So he wants us to go down with a team of Wyvern Riders to wipe them out." Robin winked at Lissa as he spoke of the former farmer.

Then his countenance became grim. "However, there is one thing I did not tell him." When the students reacted with surprise, Robin explained, "I have decided that should anyone deem this mission too risky- remember, we will be outnumbered greatly- you may step down, and I will accept the punishments in your place."

The girls each looked at each other before returning their attention back to their tutor. "We're with you, Robin," said Lissa.

"Yes, you must be a fool if you think that you're to march out there all alone!" Maribelle added, drawing out a smile from Robin.

The other two said nothing, but Robin saw that they were determined to help out their leader. Their resolve warmed his heart, and gave him hope for the battle that was to come.

"Very well," he answered. "Gather your things, but don't worry about the tomes- I'll handle that bit. Cordelia, make sure that your Pegasus has a bag for your tomes, just in case."

As they approached the forest that the brigands inhabited, Robin briefly considered going to visit the Outrealms in order to recruit more Einherjar, but he discarded the idea. He didn't have enough Shepherds with him this time, and he had more pressing matters to deal with.

The eight Wyvern Riders rode on in silence, too timid to talk to the legends that they travelled with. Many of them were young, and were needed to make up the numbers of Ylisse's army, although Chrom had made it clear that those under the age of sixteen were not to be conscripted.

He had also put into effect a law that every boy must learn how to wield a spear by the time they could be conscripted, barring any crippling injuries or deformities. The law made sure that a group of capable warriors would be stationed in each village, but they would also be put under constant surveillance by the Shepherds so that they did not abuse their power.

The girls all rode on horses- or in Cordelia's case, a Pegasus- and were chatting with Robin about the applications of magic. It wasn't until several days into this manner of travel that Robin noticed the riders' apprehension.

"You know," he said cheerfully to the lead boy, "The Shepherds don't stand much on ceremony. Come on up here."

The riders all looked at each other uncertainly. Then the one that Robin had addressed answered, "We're fine back here, sir. And it looks like you're pretty busy anyway."

Robin raised an eyebrow, and then put his tome away while telling the girls to do the same. "We're not busy anymore," he said with a smile. "Come, join us!"

Reluctantly, the riders moved to close the gap between them. Robin moved so that he could talk to both groups with ease before asking, "I never got your name, sergeant. Might I ask it of you?"

"My name is Brian, sir." The boy saluted him as he spoke.

Robin waved the gesture aside and replied, "No, no, none of that. In the army, you may be expected to act formal, but not here. You'll call me Robin, because that's my name. I don't want to hear 'sir' or 'commander', or any other title like that. The only one that merits some respect here is the crown princess of Ylisse, Lissa."

He indicated the girl, even though the men already knew her by sight. She waved back at them cheerily. The men returned the gesture, albeit a little rigidly. "You may call her 'milady' or 'Princess," Robin concluded.

"Yes sir," Brian said.

Robin gave the boy a mock frown and said, "Want to try that again?"

Brian realized his gaffe and turned red. "I'm sorry, si- I mean, I beg your pardon, Master Robin!" When the tactician's eyebrows went down further, the sergeant said, "I- I mean, sorry, Robin!"

Robin could no longer keep a straight face. He laughed at the sputtering officer, which elicited several laughs from his men. Brian turned beet red, and he said, "I'm going to check the perimeter." With that, his wyvern took off, and began gliding in a large circle.

"Was it something I said?" Robin asked, feigning a surprised expression. The others laughed again.

Later that night, Robin and the others gathered around a camp fire, save for Miriel and another rider, who were set up to take the first watch. Robin gathered the wood, and had Cordelia ignite it with a fire spell.

The result was an instant, steady fire that was burning safely within the circle of stones they had gathered. "A rather clever idea," said Maribelle as Cordelia sat on a log next to her. "Well done, Robin, dear. And you as well, Cordelia."

Robin grinned and said, "Actually, Ricken was the one to come up with the idea in the first place. I found him trying to light up a stove with his fire tome, and…" He let the sentence trail off unfinished.

"I can guess that things didn't turn out that well," Cordelia finished.

"Not unless you count a burnt lunch and a broken stove as a success," Robin answered.

Maribelle chuckled and said, "I kept telling him that he needed to refine his power, not simply cast it as hard as he could and hope for the best. I do hope he learned after that."

"He did," Robin assured her with a smile. "And once he did, he was actually able to move onto the Arc spells after the fact."

The whole time, the riders had been listening with rapt attention, surprised at how easygoing their tactician was. Not to mention the legendary Cordelia and the crown princess of the realm.

So they were surprised when Robin turned on his seat to face them with the words, "So, my friends. Tell me a bit about yourselves."

"Our stories are rather plain, Robin," answered Brian.

The tactician rolled his shoulders and replied, "My story is a total blank until Chrom and Lissa found me lying on the side of the road. I'm sure whatever you can tell me is more exciting than an empty slate."

Brian hesitated, aware that his friend's eyes were on him. Eventually he began to talk. "We all come from a village to the southeast of Ylisstol. When the army was ended, we were asked to join the army in exchange for our families being cared for. We knew that the Plegian's treasury would ensure that this bargain was honored, so we joined." The riders murmured their general agreement to the tale.

"So, we've been training for the past two months as Wyvern Riders," Brian continued. "I was singled out as the best rider in our squad, and so I was promoted to sergeant. And we've been patrolling the central kingdom ever since."

Robin cocked his head with interest. "So do you have any idea as to why Chrom selected you for this mission? I must admit I am curious."

Brian shrugged. "I have no idea. He just called me up to his office the other day and told me to accompany you." Robin squinted his eyes in thought, but then he decided to let the matter drop. It wasn't all that important anyway.

He made a beckoning gesture to the youth and said, "Come, sit with me. I want to see how well you read a map." A bit startled, but compliant, the soldier moved to obey while Robin pulled out one of his parchments.

Cordelia moved to make room for him, and the teenager sat down, stiff as a board. Robin then spread a map over their legs. "This is a map of the area we'll be in tomorrow. I want you to look it over, then tell me how you would position your troops, were you in the enemies' position."

The other soldiers leaned forward in anticipation of this conversation. They were curious to see how Robin would work out and counter the battle plans they had heard so much about.

Brian stared long and hard at the map before moving his fingers across it. "All right," he began. "I would start by having my men hide… _here_."

The next morning, Robin and the others rode together as a single group, but this time they proceeded with caution. According to Robin's intelligence, the bandits would often attack within the forest in the manner of an ambush. And Robin had no intention of being taken by surprise.

Once they had been travelling for some hours, Robin gave a hand signal to Brian, and the young man turned to his own troops and gave them the same signal. Immediately, they took off on their Wyverns and moved through a gap in the trees, leaving the Shepherds alone in the woods.

Robin pulled an Elwind tome out of his bag and then a corresponding fire book. He tossed the latter to Lissa and told her to keep it handy. Then they began to move again, keeping their eyes cast in every direction. "Remember," he said quietly. "Shouting the spell aloud can help you focus on the spell you wish to cast."

It didn't take very long before a series of shouts greeted them and the bandits they had been expecting swung down from the trees. Some were on dragons, and the others were on foot, but all of them were well-armed. Robin even spotted a mage in their ranks as he ordered his students to stand down.

They were quickly surrounded before their leader urged his steed forward. "M'name's Anthony," he proclaimed. "And you lot are now slaves. Tie 'em up, boys! If they resist, kill 'em."

"You don't want to be doing that," Robin said firmly.

"Oh yeah? How's that?"

Robin flipped open his book and replied, "We are the Ylissean Shepherds, and you are under arrest." This stopped the men moving towards them with ropes.

"Liar!" said the mage. "Chrom never lets his Shepherds go anywhere without 'im! And you ain't Chrom, that's fer sure!"

Robin raised an eyebrow and said, "Times change. And yes, I'm not Chrom, but I assume you've heard the name 'Robin' before, haven't you? You've heard of my accomplishments?" This led to many gasps and involuntary steps backwards.

Only the leader and his mage seemed interested in continuing the fight. "Yeah, we heard about you," said the rider. "I heard that you let the Exalt die and allowed war to break loose. So in a way, if you are who ya say you are, then this whole mess is your fault."

In spite of himself, Robin couldn't help but feel the sting of the man's words, since it wasn't the first time he'd heard them. In fact, he even felt that the brigand was right to a degree. However… "If you blame me for the mess, then it only makes sense that I clean it up," Robin finally said. "Now surrender, or die."

"Hah!" the man scoffed. "We've got you outnumbered by a long shot, and you've only got five of you! I say that _you_ surrender, and then I'll go home and sit by a nice, warm fire."

Robin clicked his fingers and Lissa raised her hand, the Elfire tome ready. "Why wait?" she said. And then a pillar of fire engulfed the rider, who hurled obscenities in response and urged his steed to get out of the flames. The fire wouldn't hurt the dragon much, but it definitely caused the rider some hurt.

The others also sprang into action, Robin swinging down from his horse to engage the oncoming enemy, whose anger had finally been stirred by the sight of their leader being attacked. He stretched out his hand and lightning blasted one of them into two of his companions. The mage began to cast a spell, but Cordelia swooped down on her Pegasus and struck him with her lance.

It was far from a finishing blow, but it kept Robin from having to worry about the man for a few moments. Lissa rushed to his side to help him fend off a charging swordsman. When he saw what she was doing, he said, "Watch my back. I'm going to take care of those damned riders." Lissa nodded and turned so that they were back-to-back.

Looking up, he readied his Elwind magic. As soon as he saw a Rider come into view, he unleashed the power within the book, tossing the flying reptile around and throwing off its rider. _Where are-_

A series of human and wyvern roars thundered from above and crashed into the riders that had taken to the sky. They were outnumbered, but Brian's men had taken the enemy by surprise. They were so focused on the Shepherds that they failed to account for the possibility of reinforcements.

With the skies clear, Robin pocketed his tome and drew the sword that he had taken from Gangrel. He swung it a couple of times experimentally to make sure that the blade was still balanced before telling Lissa that he was going to get closer.

The princess acknowledged him before cutting a path through the enemy with a series of fire pillars in order to reach Maribelle. Robin allowed himself to be impressed for a second before moving to engage a trio of swordsmen.

Cordelia was entangled with a wyvern that had lost its rider when a bolt of wind magic narrowly missed her and scared off the reptile. She looked down, hoping that it was Robin who had just helped her out, but was disappointed

The enemy mage had been intending to hit her, but she had been moving too fast, and the wyvern made it hard to get a lock on her. Now, without the flying lizard around, she was too easy a target.

She saw the glyphs begin to spring from his tome and considered throwing her lance at him, but the distance was too great, and the lance she wielded wasn't the throwing kind. All of which left her only one option.

She stashed her lance and pulled out the tome that Robin had given her last night, and scrambled to remember what Robin had told her about fighting another magician.

She remembered him saying something about trying to avoid cancelling out someone else's magic with your own, because if the other person's spell or will was stronger, you were bound to lose. But the wind was already on its way, and she saw no other option.

Opening the page, she shouted, "Fire!" A fire ball was quickly on its way to collide with the enemy spell. The two blasts collided, and began pushing against one another according to the will of their casters. Cordelia had her steed halt in midair so that she could better concentrate on the magic.

For what seemed like an eternity to the flame-haired rider, the magics strove to dominate the others, until finally, the wind gave way, and Cordelia's fireball was on its way. At first she was ecstatic with the success, but when she looked down again, she saw that Robin had come up and stabbed the man, resulting in his spell being terminated.

In addition to this, the tactician had to doge the oncoming fire ball and barely deflected another blow from one of the barbarian's axes. Cursing herself, Cordelia dove into the fray, once again wielding her lance.

"I must say Cordelia, I am impressed," Robin said as she bound the last of the brigands that had surrendered. It was late in the afternoon, and Miriel and the uninjured riders were running through the inventory while Lissa and Maribelle tended to the wounded.

Cordelia looked up at him sharply. "What are you talking about?" she asked, bewildered. "All I did was nearly roast you- again!"

"Nearly, but you didn't." Robin smiled. "Honestly, you helped a great deal by occupying that mage's attention so that I could finish him off. I wasn't sure how I was going to get close enough to him to use my sword until you two started battling like that. So, thank you."

Turning to address the rest of his men and women, he said, "You all performed far better than I had anticipated you would. I guess Chrom really does know what he's doing."

There was a general murmur of thanks from the others at his praise. To the riders, it was a high honor to hear Robin- the highest Ylissean Tactician- say so. To the new magic-wielders, it was a sign of approval from mentor to student.

Turning back to Cordelia, Robin leaned closer and whispered, "Given a few more months of practice, and you'll be the first Dark Flier of the new Ylissean Guard, I guarantee it. You have a lot of talent, Cordelia, and I look forward to seeing your progress in the study of magic."


	18. A Royal Occasion

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: This will be the final chapter for The Bonds of War fanfiction. I do hope that you have enjoyed my interpretation of this awesome game, and that you continue to do so in the next part: Future Ties.**

**As for this chapter in particular, I always wanted to see what Chrom and Sumia's wedding would look like, and I hope I did it justice.**

**P.S. This chapter takes place shortly after Robin, Chrom and several of the other Shepherds visited the Outrealms a second time to retrieve the Einherjar-Roy. I will actually feature said adventure as a flashback in Future Ties, so hang tight for that adventure!**

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><p>A Royal Occasion<p>

"Chrom, it's not that bad," Robin chuckled as he watched his friend fuss over the bandage on his neck. "If anything, it makes you look tougher to have a battle wound on then neck on the day of your wedding."

"Oh, shut up, Robin," Chrom muttered. "This isn't funny. Sumia doesn't know about it, and I don't want her to worry about it- this is supposed to be the perfect day."

"Wedding days are never perfect," Robin retorted with a chuckle. "And if you really were worried about looking like the flawless Prince Charming today, you should have stayed here like I told you. But no, you hear that I'm off to the Outrealms again, and you just had to come along."

"Yeah, well someone has to watch your back out there."

"Why do you think I made sure to bring along my own Einherjar?" Robin replied. "Ever since my mission with the girls, I haven't let him out of my sight. I still can't believe that I forgot him that time." He frowned at the end of his sentence.

Chrom rolled his eyes as he made one last adjustment to his suit. "Are you ever able to spend a day without thinking of some battle or other?" he asked.

"Not when it's my job, no," Robin sighed. "But I promise, today will go smoothly as possible- though I can't guarantee perfection. There's bound to be some annoying official or other that wants to be announced to the world."

"Hmph," Chrom muttered. Then he turned to face his friend. "How do I look?"

Robin raised an eyebrow and said, "Why are you asking me? Frederick's your best man."

"Yes, but he's off securing the perimeter- again. So I need you to fill in until the ceremony this afternoon."

Robin smiled, dropping his previously nonchalant attitude. "You look great," he said. "Sumia is one lucky lady, and you're one amazing groom. And I sincerely mean that, Chrom. Enjoy your time with her today- and afterward."

"Wow!" Lissa exclaimed. "You look soooo pretty! Chrom is one lucky Prince!"

Sumia flushed at the praise and gave herself a spin in her wedding dress, enjoying the touch of the soft fabric. The white dress was fitting to her form instead of spreading out in every direction and made of silk. And though it lacked a huge amount of pearls that was the status quo for a royal bride, Sumia liked it better this way.

The veil was just enough to obscure her face instead of falling down to her abdomen like her hair, another alteration on her dress. And Lissa thought that she had never seen a happier or more beautiful girl in her life.

As the bridesmaid, Lissa had made an effort to get to know Sumia better off the battlefield. She had been surprised when the bride-to-be asked her to do it instead of her best friend, Cordelia. Sumia's reply as to why she had chosen the princess had been that she wanted Lissa to be in a place of honor at her big brother's wedding.

So, the two of them spent a lot of time together over the past few months, both on and off the battlefield. Robin, seeing their growing bond, had given them missions to go together on over the past year since the war with Plegia had ended.

Cordelia, who was to be the bridesmaid, also began joining them on these quests as Ylisse's only Dark Flier. Just three months ago she had been given the promotion by Robin after a long time spent studying magic under his encouraging eye. Rumors spread, of course, that the two of them were in love, but both of them had maintained the objection that the closest they felt might be on the level of brother and sister.

And now she came in, and also marveled at her best friend's attire. "You treat Chrom well, you hear me?" she said with a smile. "Otherwise I'll have to come and knock some sense into you." Sumia giggled, and the two embraced warmly.

Frederick finally came back from doing his rounds and donned his ceremonial armor. It was lighter than his battle armor, consisting more of brightly polished mail and minimal plating. He wore a decorated sword on his hip, but bore no shield.

Robin, for his part, wore a white-and-gold version of his tactician's robe. His Levin Sword had been polished brightly as well, but he carried no tome, for his ceremonial robe was not lined with deep pockets.

But as good as they looked, they could not match Chrom's presence. He wore a garb that had been inspired by the Hero-King's attire, a royal blue garb with a red cape that bore the Brand of the Exalt. At his waist was the sword Falchion, as was befitting the Royal Shepherd.

"So, will you take the title 'Exalt' yet?" Robin asked curiously.

Chrom shook his head immediately. "I thought about it, but no. I will remain Prince Chrom until my sister's work is complete and I am worthy of her legacy."

Robin nodded but said nothing. He knew how much Emmeryn had meant to him, and the ideals that she lived by. He would respect his sovereign's decision.

"If you are ready then, milord?" Frederick said. "We must be off. We shouldn't keep the people waiting, should we?" Chrom drew himself up and nodded. Then the groom, the best man, and the groomsman all walked out of the antechamber to head for the altar.

The assembled crowd gasped in admiration as the Prince and his closest friends walked up to stand at their respective places before the altar and Libra. Chrom was regal, Frederick was powerful, and Robin was noble. All three of them were, in a word, handsome.

But what came next completely took their attention off the warriors. The bride and her companions entered, Sumia first, being escorted by her father. He smiled with pride at the admiring gazes that his daughter received, and he felt that his heart might burst with pride. Chrom also smiled at her, delighted that this day had finally come.

Following them were Lissa and Donnel. Donnel was handsome enough in a formal suit of blue trimmed with gold, but Lissa held everyone's attention between the two of them. She was dressed in the same manner that Emmeryn had as the Exalt, in flowing robes of white, topped by green trimmed with golden thread. The sight made Chrom's eyes mist, but he managed not to shed any tears.

After them came Cordelia, being escorted by her younger brother, a major in the Wyvern Riders ranks. They both wore ceremonial versions of their armor, though they wore no weapons. Again, the lady of the pair held the audiences' attention for a brief time until they switched their gazes back to Sumia.

The woman walked up the steps to stand in front of Chrom, who turned to face her with every step that she took. Donnel and Cordelia's brother took their places in the crowd as soon as their companions reached the steps while the girls stood at their places behind Sumia and her father.

Libra then began to speak. "Today we celebrate the union of Regnant Prince Chrom, and Pegasus Knight Sumia. Both have had many difficult days in the past, but both have decided that from now on, they shall face them together in holy matrimony.

"Who now gives this maiden to be wed to this exalted warrior?" He turned to Sumia as he spoke. Her father smiled, and his hazel eyes twinkled with delight underneath his chestnut hair.

"I, her father, do so give her away to be wed to her Prince," he said.

Sumia turned briefly to give him a tight hug before they parted and the man took his place in the front row. When he had done so, Libra began to speak again.

"And what does she bring to take into their new home together?"

Now Lissa stepped up to speak. "She brings her love, her commitment, her promise of a happy life, and a dowry." And she produced a small casket filled with a number of precious items. Although Chrom was the wealthiest man in the kingdom, it would have been disgraceful for Sumia not to present a dowry on her wedding day.

Libra nodded and then turned his attention to the men. "And what does the sovereign bring to this occasion?"

Now Frederick stepped forth. "Milord brings a Halidom, his blade to protect her, his love, his devotion, and a castle in which to call their home."

Libra nodded again and turned back to Sumia. "Are you pleased with the way that Lissa, the Crown Princess, has negotiated on your behalf?"

Sumia nodded once. "I am."

Libra turned to Chrom. "And you, sire. Are you pleased with the way that Frederick, your lieutenant, has negotiated on your behalf?"

"I am," the Prince answered, his eyes never leaving Sumia.

"Then all shall proceed as it must." Libra intoned.

Once again facing Sumia, he said, "Do you, Sumia, daughter of Maria and Alexander, take Prince Chrom to be your lawfully wedded husband, to hold and to cherish, in sickness and in health, in good times and poor, until death do you part?"

"I do." She smiled at Chrom from under her veil.

Facing Chrom for his last part, Libra asked, "Do you, Prince Chrom, descendant of the Hero-King Marth and the first Exalt, take Sumia to be your lawfully wedded wife, to hold and to cherish, in sickness and in health, in good times and poor, until death do you part?"

"I do." Chrom smiled at Sumia, impatient for the ceremony to be done with.

"Then may the ring-bearers step forth." Libra commanded. Robin and Cordelia stepped up to their respective attendees to give them the ring. Robin gave Chrom Sumia's band, a golden ring with a diamond set in the metal. Sumia received Chrom's ring, another golden band, but thicker, and with the Brand of the Exalt imprinted in it.

Then the two escorts stepped back. Sumia then put Chrom's ring on, and the Prince did likewise. Libra then stepped between them. "Please, cross your wrists," he instructed, and they did so. The priest then produced a white ribbon and prepared to tie it.

Before he did, though, he had one last statement to make. "If anyone now sees a valid reason why these two should not be joined in wedlock, speak now, or forever hold you peace." As he spoke, unseen by him, Chrom, Frederick, and Robin's hands all strayed unconsciously to the hilts of their swords. No one objected.

Libra nodded with satisfaction, then he proceeded to tie the knot, binding their hands together. He then said, "Your highness, you may lift the veil." Chrom did so, and Lissa helped smooth it out in the back.

Libra's face broke into a smile as he said, "I now pronounce you man and wife. Chrom, you may kiss your bride." And the prince did so with great enthusiasm. And the crowd erupted into cheers at the sight of their ruler finally finding a measure of happiness in his life.

And Libra proclaimed, "I present to you, Prince Chrom and Princess Sumia!"

The speeches were given in Castle Ylisse's courtyard, where numerous tables had been set up so that everyone there could relax and enjoy the afternoon air. As the groomsman, Robin was the first to speak, and he would be followed by Frederick, then Chrom.

As he stood up, Libra pounded his staff against the stones beneath his feet to produce a surprisingly loud _boom_. "Silence for Master Robin!" He cried, his usually feminine voice imbued with authority and power.

Once the chatter had settled, Robin smiled at those assembled. "Thank you, Libra," he began. "As the groomsman of this long-expected event, I was expected to prepare a speech for this. But as ironic as it is that I am Ylisse's tactician, I decided to simply wait for the big moment before deciding upon a course of action. And now that the moment is here, I know exactly what it is that I want to say.

"Chrom has, starting with the day he found me, been like an older brother to me. Without him I could very have ended up wandering lost for the remainder of my days. I owe him more than I could ever repay, but should he or his beautiful wife ever need me, they have to but ask."

Sumia flushed at his compliment, but Chrom simply smiled at his friend, whom he'd also grown to think of a brother. Robin smiled back at him before continuing his speech.

"No matter how many battles there are in the years to come, I know that the two of you will find a way to keep the peace, both at home and in the country. I now call those around me to join me in congratulating our new rulers. To Chrom and Sumia!"

The air reverberated with the echoing roar from the crowd, startling the birds that were nesting on the castle walls. Naturally, the Shepherds were the loudest of those assembled.

When everything had died down, Frederick rose to speak, this time without the assistance of Libra. His speech was formal and polished, as one would expect from the prince's personal guard. It was well-received by the people as well, but it was clear to Chrom that Robin's speech had stirred the hearts of more people.

Then it was Sumia's turn to speak. Giving his wife's hand a gentle squeeze, Chrom whispered, "Don't worry about it. Just say what lies in your heart."

The Pegasus Knight nodded quickly and stood. Then she said to those assembled, "I'm not very good at these kinds of things, but I promised Chrom I'd do my best." The Shepherds all laughed encouragingly at their comrade-in-arms, and this helped her to relax a little.

So she said, "So this is what's in my heart: I love Chrom with everything I am. Even as a little girl, I told myself that I wanted to marry him someday. But never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that it would one day become a reality. So now that it has, I have decided to treat it as though it were a dream- if I let my grasp on it slip, it could be gone. I will always hold onto Chrom, and trust that he will hold on to me just as tightly."

The audience let out a hearty roar of approval as a red-faced bride took her seat. The cheering intensified when Chrom whispered something to her and then kissed her.

Then the groom stood and Libra boomed, "Silence before the prince! Silence for Regnant Prince Chrom!" Again, it took a moment for the guests to settle.

Chrom began without any hesitation, "Sumia places her trust well when she says that I will never let go of her. While Robin and Frederick may be the best things for me as a ruler, Sumia has been, beyond the shadow of a doubt, the best thing that ever happened for me as a person.

"I promised earlier that I would hold onto her until death do us part, and now I promise again to hold on in love. And I thank everyone here for joining me on the happiest day of my life.

"With that, I declare this feast open, and command that the entertainment begin!" And once again, the Shepherds were noticeably the most excited of those assembled, much to their leader's amusement.

The bridal dance was held in the same courtyard after the speeches were complete. A small orchestra was then presented to provide music for the entertainment. Chrom and Sumia danced alone together to a simple yet heartfelt song called, 'Love in a Fortnight'. They danced for one circuit around the courtyard before being joined by Lissa and Frederick. Another circuit, and Robin took to the music with Cordelia.

Chrom and Sumia were both surprised to see Robin dancing with his partner rather splendidly. Nobody except for Cordelia had even known that he was capable of dancing at all. The tactician saw their looks and smiled at them, for he could guess what they were thinking.

"Thanks for all the dance lessons," he said to his partner once the song was over, and the guests began to dance.

Cordelia laughed and replied, "Are you serious? It's the least I could do to repay you after all that you taught me. I should be thanking you."

"You already have," Robin said with a smile. "But whatever the case, I still owe you thanks. Otherwise, I might have ended up like poor Sumia- flat on my face!" And the two of them laughed together, heedless of the whispers and excited looks they were getting from the gathered crowd.

Off to the side, Lissa and Donnel moved to speak to Chrom and his new wife. "Sorry, Sumia, but do you think I could borrow him for a moment?" Lissa asked.

"Of course," the bride said happily. "Just don't take him for too long."

"I won't," the princess said with a large smile. Leading her brother a fair distance away to a suitable dance spot, she began to move to the beat of the music with her big brother. "I'm so happy for you two," she said. "Sometimes I thought that you'd never settle down, and you'd always just swing Falchion at the bad guys."

"Are you complimenting me, or insulting me?" Chrom said with a mock frown.

"Am I not allowed to do both?" Lissa giggled. Then the conversation paused as Chrom twirled his sister around. When she was facing him again, she said, "You know, I think that Emm would be really proud of you. How you turned out, and who you've chosen to spend your life with. You're a good man, Big Brother."

Chrom smiled a trifle sadly, but he pulled his sister close for a hug. "How do you know that she would approve?"

"Because I certainly do," Lissa said as she pulled away. "And she and I tended to agree on these kinds of things."

Chrom laughed softly, then he said, "Aye. That you did."

Then Sumia approached them with Donnel, having finished a dance with him, and wanting her husband back. Lissa gave Chrom one last hug, then went to go get refreshments with Donnel.

They passed by Frederick, who stood stiffly at attention, his eyes constantly scanning the area. Earlier, Robin had told him to go have a dance with Cordelia, but he had declined on the grounds that he needed to keep an eye out for anything that looked like trouble, whether it be assassins, or a guest that had consumed one too many drinks. Frederick the Wary never stopped looking out for trouble, even on a day like this, Robin had thought after speaking with him. Still, everyone in Ylisstol was safer with him around, so the tactician decided to cut him some slack.

Robin himself was taking a break from the celebrations with Cordelia with a bit of wine and fresh fruit to go with it. They chatted about inconsequential things for some time until Lissa joined them with Donnel in tow.

The farm boy was clearly uncomfortable in the fancy suit, despite the happy occasion. Robin told him to take a seat and remove his jacket. That way he wouldn't be making any kind gaffe in etiquette. Lissa also sat with them, and the conversation resumed, albeit in a slightly livelier manner.

After some time, Robin asked Lissa for a dance, to which she accepted. As the groomsman, and one of Lissa's closer friends, it was almost expected. "Don't worry, Donny," he said with a wink. "We won't be long." The farm boy smiled at the well-meant words before returning to his conversation with Cordelia on spear techniques.

As Lissa and Robin danced, the blond man asked her, "So, how long until you think this place is full of guests for you and him?"

Lissa blushed but replied, "This is nice and all, but honestly, I'd like a quieter setting."

Robin chuckled at that. "You and your brother both," he said. "It took me quite some time to convince him of how hurt the people would be if he got married without them."

"That's true," said Lissa. "But he's the ruler now, so he can't get away with something less than this. Me, I'm just his little sister, so no one needs to make a fuss over my wedding one of these days."

Robin shook his head and said, "I find two things wrong with that statement. The first is that you're not 'just his little sister'. The second thing is, you're my friend, too, so if and when the day comes for you to get married, I promise I'll make it a ceremony to remember, be it big or small." Then the dance ended, and Robin escorted a smiling Lissa back to her seat.

Once the food had been brought out, Chrom turned to Robin and said teasingly, "So when is this day for you in your master plan?"

"Not anytime soon, Chrom," Robin said with a smile. "I've got too much going on as it is. And why does everyone keep asking me that?" He added the last part after a brief pause.

"Probably because they want you to be as happy as Chrom and I are," said Sumia.

Robin smiled politely and replied, "That may be, but I'm not going to marry someone because others want me to. And as I said, I'm too busy for matters of the heart."

"And we're not?" Chrom teased him. "I'm running a country while Sumia leads the new Pegasus Knights."

"You've got advisors and Frederick," Robin pointed out. "And Sumia's about to retire that position and pass it on to Cordelia. Me? I've got no one to help me. No one else can do what I can do." He said it with a smile, but the couple sensed an underlying sadness beneath his words. Before they could say anything though, Robin said, "I appreciate your concern, I really do. But I'll be fine."

Sensing that he didn't wish to talk about it anymore, Chrom and Sumia dropped the subject abruptly, and moved on to talk of other things. But Chrom never forgot the matter.

However, the wedding proceeded as it must, and the Shepherds were the loudest and most jubilant the whole while, and the last one to leave. As Sumia and Chrom bade the last of their guests' farewell, they loaded into the carriage that would take them to a smaller castle in the countryside.

Once they were on the way, Sumia sighed happily and leaned her head on her husband's shoulder, suddenly drained from all the excitement. Chrom felt the same way as he put his arm around her and leaned his head back.

They both knew that it would be a while before they reached the castle, so by an unspoken consent, they began to fall asleep in the carriage together.

One thing Chrom managed to say before he fell asleep was, "Sumia?"

"Mmm?"

"How in the hell do I get this dress off later?"

"No idea… Lissa did most of it…"

But Chrom was already asleep, and he didn't hear her. Just as well, because Sumia was already asleep before she even finished talking.

Nearly a year later, Sumia's screams could be heard throughout the nighttime halls of Castle Ylisstol. Chrom, Lissa, and Maribelle were the only other ones allowed inside the room other than the woman about to give birth.

Robin sat outside the room in an easy chair, feeling anything but easy. Sumia was overdue by more than two weeks, and now he feared for her health. She was a mighty warrior, but this was no battle field. Now, he hoped than in order to give life, she did not have to release her hold on it.

Frederick was also there, but he was not sitting at all. He paced back and forth across the hall, wincing with every cry that the princess uttered. With every step his apprehension grew, but he couldn't think of anything else to do. All that either of them could do was hope and pray that Sumia and the baby would make it through all right.

Then, just as the night began to break from the sun's glow, Sumia let out one, last, blood-curdling scream. Never before had Robin heard such a disturbing sound- the dying groans of men did not even come close. Then all was silent.

Robin and Frederick looked at each other with pale faces. Then Robin moved quickly to pound on the door. "Chrom!" he shouted. "Is Sumia okay?! What about the baby? What's-"

The door suddenly flew open, and the two men saw Maribelle with her staff. Then she whacked Robin on the head which led to a small yelp of pain. Only after that did they hear the weak cry of an infant, and Sumia's tired gasps.

"Her highness will be just fine if you stop all that racket!" Maribelle admonished. "She and the child are weakened, but they will live."

Robin nodded and rubbed his scalp, trying to massage the pain. "May we see the new child now?" asked Frederick.

Maribelle looked back in the room, her body still obstructing their view. "Give it a few more minutes," she said. Then she shut the door abruptly. But true to her word, it was only a few quiet minutes before Maribelle reappeared and gestured with her staff for them to come in. Robin entered quickly to move out of the staff's range before looking upon Chrom and his wife.

The prince was kneeling beside her bed, his face lit up with pure happiness. Sumia looked completely spent, but that didn't stop her from giving Robin and Frederick a smile as they walked in. And in her arms was the new royal child. "What's his name? Or her name?" Robin asked the new parents.

Chrom finally looked up at his friends to say, "Her name is Lucina."


End file.
